Lalaland's general manager has until March next year to prove himself to the district licensing committee before it will grant him a manager’s certificate.
Police opposed Kieran Larcombe’s application for the Wanaka lounge bar after he failed to declare two criminal convictions in 2010 and 2012 for drink-driving
in Australia.
He had declared both of those convictions in a previous application for a manager’s certificate in Christchurch, but failed to provide a copy of his criminal and traffic history from Australia to prove the dates of the declared convictions. He later withdrew that application.
The committee’s decision said Mr Larcombe was not sure if he had to report the convictions in his Lalaland application because he thought they may have been covered by the Clean Slate Act.
Liquor Licensing Sergeant Tracy Haggart also expressed concerns about his suitability following a check at Lalaland on June 2 this year. She said Mr Larcombe was the only person working at the bar but his name was not on the duty manager sign and "he claimed a female sitting in the corner of the bar who looked like a patron" was the duty manager.
"With further questioning his story kept changing and he could not confirm who was meant to be the duty manager."
The licensing inspector told the committee the person named on the duty manager’s board was not a Lalaland employee, but a patron with a manager’s certificate "so Mr Larcombe asked her to put her name up".
"He didn’t disclose this to the inspector and did not know who was the duty manager before he arrived at 9pm, or who he had taken over from,’’ the committee’s decision said.
With regard to that incident, Mr Larcombe said he had been under the impression he was "only on a training shift as a bartender".
"However, on arrival at work his manager asked him to put his name on the duty manager board.
"When the police and inspector arrived, his manager then told him to get one of the patrons, who has a manger’s certificate, to put her name up."
The committee said the incident on June 2 did bring into question his suitability but it acknowledged the effort he was making to improve the management and performance of the premises.
Mr Larcombe was given until March 1, 2018, to pass the verbal test with the council and manage Lalaland without issue or police intervention until then.
"If we are satisfied that these two hurdles have been overcome then it is probable that a decision will then be issued granting the application on the papers."
