FERGUS – The taps have stopped flowing at the Goofie Newfie in downtown Fergus following an order from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
The order, effective July 15, immediately suspends the pub’s liquor licence, the AGCO said.
The AGCO is also seeking to revoke the Goofie Newfie’s liquor licence entirely. The business has 15 days to appeal.
The commission cited the recent conviction of Robert O’Brien who previously worked at the Goofie Newfie and is the spouse of pub owner Rebecca O’Brien.
According to Rebecca, her husband hasn’t worked at the pub since a June 16 verdict found him guilty on two counts of sexual assault against a former Goofie Newfie employee.
She emphasized her husband’s capacity there was limited and he was removed from the employee schedule immediately following the verdict.
She added there’s no plan to bring him back for now.
The pub’s doors were closed earlier than normal, at 5pm, on Tuesday afternoon after the suspension order arrived.
“We needed time to regroup,” Rebecca told the Advertiser by phone on Wednesday, adding she was “completely blindsided.”
“It was quite a kick in the face,” she said of the AGCO’s timing, as July 15 marked the 21st anniversary of the Goofie Newfie’s opening.
Doors have since reopened, with customers being told by staff the business is unable to serve alcohol.
On Wednesday afternoon, a sign board greeting customers at a patio entrance recommended they try the pub’s mocktails.
“It’s peak season,” Rebecca said. “There’s no playbook for this.”
Both of the O’Briens are listed on the liquor licence, which was renewed earlier this year, according to Rebecca.
She said Robert’s criminal charges were disclosed to the AGCO at that time.
She has since sought to remove her husband’s name from the licence, but said it’s not an overnight process.
“I think it has been handled really poorly,” she said of the AGCO, adding her name has been on the licence for more than two decades.
“Holding a liquor licence in Ontario is a privilege accorded to individuals who can be relied upon to act with integrity,” stated AGCO CEO Karin Schnarr in a press release announcing the licence suspension.
The AGCO said licence holders are made ineligible if the commission believes business cannot be conducted within “the law and with integrity and honesty.”
“The court’s findings provide sufficient evidence to sustain those concerns,” it said.
Rebecca suggested the licence could be reinstated within a couple weeks, and she’s hopeful the community’s support for the business will continue.
AGCO officials declined to comment when contacted by the Advertiser.
