Crime & Safety

Blue Orchid Issued Liquor License Suspension

The suspension comes after the restaurant served beer to a minor in May.

The issued a three-day liquor license suspension to the restaurant Monday night, a move recommended by Westwood Police Chief William Chase. 

The suspension, which comes after the restaurant served beer to a minor last month, will be held in abeyance for a one-year period. During that time, if no other violations take place, the three-day suspension would not be imposed.

If, however, another violation does occur during the one-year period, the restaurant would face the three-day suspension as well as a hearing to confront any new charges. 

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"We were notified by the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission of a liquor license violation at B2B Concepts, which is doing business as Blue Orchid," Chase told the Board of Selectmen Monday night.

The incident, Chase said, took place on May 9 at about 5:47 p.m., when an underage compliance check was conducted at the restaurant. 

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As part of that compliance check, and 18-year-old, with the oversight of the ABCC, entered the restaurant and ordered a Bud Light, which he received from a female waitress without request for identification, Chase said.

"This is a very serious violation," Chase said. "Something that we take very seriously, obviously."

After discussions with investigators at the ABCC, Chase said the commission agreed to defer the violation to the licensing board. 

"The violation is permitting an illegality to occur on the license premises," Chase said. 

Blue Orchid manager David Ng, who was present at Monday's meeting, apologized for the incident and vowed to not let it occur a second time.

"We made the mistake," said Restaurant Manager David Ng. "We take full responsibility for it and I hope this will never happen again."

Ng said he was not present at the restaurant during the incident due to a personal engagement, and that staff that are normally at the restaurant were not there on that particular night. 

He did, however, assure the board that the waitstaff at Blue Orchid is certified through Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS), a training program designed to prevent underage drinking, drunk driving, and intoxication.

"All our staff is TIPS certified," Ng said. "(The waitress) forgot to check the ID."

Chase emphasized that Blue Orchid does not have any prior history of violations of this type. The restaurant, which has been in business for 11 years, has held a liquor license for the last six years.

Selectmen Clerk Nancy Hyde asked Ng how he plans to ensure such a violation does not recur, as the board would not be as accommodating a second time around. 

"I think you should err on the side of caution," Hyde said. "We don't want to go through this again."

Ng said that moving forward a notification will be placed on the restaurant's computer systems that will allow staff to remind each other to check IDs before serving alcohol.

"There's a reminder to check IDs on the computer screen," Ng said. "All people on duty and in the front have to remind whoever's on staff."

The board agreed to approve the three-day suspension to be held in abeyance for one year. 

"You did the right thing by cooperating and by admitting that there was a problem," said Selectmen Chair Pat Ahearn. "I'm saying this not so much to you, but to other license holders in town. I think you've done a good job and we appreciate that. Please keep up the good work."


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