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NYS Liquor Authority suspends liquor licenses of 2 WNY bars for violating governor's 'Pause' order

The emergency suspension was issued to Swannie House on Ohio Street in Buffalo and AJ's Clarence Hollow on Main Street in Clarence on Tuesday.

ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) summarily suspended the liquor licenses of two bars in Western New York for not complying with Governor Andrew Cuomo's PAUSE order. 

That executive order required restaurants to stop serving food inside and move to take-out only to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The emergency suspension was issued  to Swannie House on Ohio Street in Buffalo and AJ's Clarence Hollow on Main Street in Clarence on Tuesday.

"The full board determined that in fact the actions of both of these licensees put the public in danger and as a result it required the immediate action of a summary suspension" said David Edmunds, the deputy commissioner of the SLA.

Last month, Erie County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein announced the Erie County Health Department served both businesses a closure order after receiving complaints that the bars were still operating in violation of the emergency shut down.

On March 27, sanitarians with the ECDOH and Erie County Sheriff's deputies closed both businesses when they were found to still be serving customers. 

The emergency suspension was ordered by SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley, SLA Commissioner Lily Fan, and SLA Commissioner Greeley Ford at a special meeting held Tuesday.

“Continuing to operate business-as-usual during this crisis demonstrates a dangerous indifference to the health and safety of others, and the SLA will not hesitate in taking immediate actions to shut these businesses down,” Bradley said. 

Edmunds said the SLA is reviewing tips daily and urging businesses to comply with Cuomo's order.

"This is a health crisis that we are facing and it is imperative that every licensee take very seriously their privilege to operate in the state of New York and to do all that they can to comply with the governor's efforts to keep our state and our community safe" he said.

The businesses are entitled to an expedited administrative law hearing. The order of summary suspension will remain in effect until it is modified by the SLA.

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