The Rathskeller may become nothing more than a place to eat wings now that the State Liquor Authority ordered an emergency summary order of suspension to the State Street bar.
According to a press release from the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control of the State Liquor Authority, “the suspension was ordered by Members of the SLA, Chairman Dennis Rosen, Commissioner Jeanique Greene, and Commissioner Noreen Healey at a meeting of the Full Board on Wednesday, April 13, 2011. Effective immediately, no alcohol may be served or consumed on the premises.”
“We don’t close bars. What we did today was our members met and issued an emergency summary suspension,” said William Crowley, a spokesman for the New York Liquor Authority. “They could still open and serve food, but in terms of trafficking alcohol they could no longer do that legally.”
Investigators from the State Liquor Authority will head over to the Rat today to take away the license from bar owners Andrew Urso and Christine Pasquale, and post the emergency suspension on the bar’s door.
The liquor license has been suspended after two recent instances where the bar was observed serving alcohol to underage patrons.
The first of these instances occurred on Jan. 27. According to Binghamton Police Chief Joe Zikuski, as officers approached the Rathskeller Bar at 92-94 State St. for a routine check, dozens of patrons were hurrying out of the bar, saying “fire.”
After an investigation, the Binghamton police discovered that Urso, instructed the DJ to announce a fire in the building over the PA system, upon learning the police were en route.
Urso was charged with “Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree” and “Obstructing Governmental Administration,” both Class A misdemeanors.
The next incident occurred more recently on April 1 when, according to the press release, undercover investigators from the SLA witnessed three underage patrons purchase and consume alcohol at the bar. When they further investigated the bar, the SLA also found two unlicensed bouncers working security, and three additional minors present at the “21 and over” bar.
These were not the first interactions the Rat’s owners had with the SLA.
According to the press release, “the Rathskeller was fined $3,500 by the SLA in 2008 for failure to supervise the premises. Additionally, on March 30, 2011 the SLA imposed a $5,000 fine for purchasing from an unauthorized source, sale for consumption off the premises and for maintaining inadequate books and records.”
Pasquale, according to the order of suspension, has until April 29 to enter a plea to the charges. If she is to plea “not guilty” she will be afforded a “prompt and speedy administrative hearing.”
The Rat has owned a liquor license since July 12, 2005 and it was set to expire on June 30, 2011.
In addition to the Rathskeller, Urso owns restaurant Sake-Tumi at 71 Court Street. According to Crowley, the SLA has seen no liquor license violations from this location.