The Valencia Bunker Hill Bar & Grill location has had its liquor license suspended for over three weeks for reportedly violating the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, officials said Thursday.

The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), has suspended the restaurant liquor license for 25 days, from Thursday, Jan. 16 to Sunday, Feb. 9.

Photo by David Melnarik/KHTS News

There were two alleged violations tied to the suspension, both of which took place in 2019, according to John Carr, spokesperson for the ABC.

The first violation, which allegedly took place in May 2019, was defined as a “free goods violation,” which, due to the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, “prohibits the giving away of premiums, gifts or free goods in connection with the sale or marketing of alcoholic beverages,” according to official documents.

In short, patrons reportedly paid a cover charge that included a free drink ticket, which technically should have been provided for a fee, according to officials.

“Shortly after that we had the underage drinking violation, so between the two, we moved forward with disciplinary action,” said Carr.

The second violation, which allegedly took place in June 2019, was reported when an underage, undercover ABC agent was reportedly able to buy alcohol unhindered, thus breaking several laws, according to Carr.

When asked on the seemingly long delay between the violations and the suspension, Carr explained that much like any other situation where a law has been broken, investigators must prove that wrongdoing has taken place.

“There’s due process and there is time for investigation… It kind of works like a criminal court. If I burglarized a home, I have (the) right to present my case; the same applies for a business,” said Carr.

Bunker Hill representatives signed a stipulation or waiver and accepted the suspension, preventing the case from leading to a hearing before a judge, according to Carr.

In an official statement placed on the windows of the restaurant, Bunker Hill management shared that the hours would temporarily be changed until the suspension was over.

“We regret to inform you that our liquor license has been temporarily suspended until Feb. 9, 2020. We will continue to offer our food menu and happy hour food specials,” read the statement. “Please visit our other locations at Black and Blue and Wokano, where we offer great food, superb cocktails and popular happy hour specials.”

Bunker Hill’s operational hours are set to be temporarily shortened during the suspension, and are now 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m on Sundays.

As a licensing department on behalf of the State of California, Carr noted that the ABC provides educational resources for businesses and individuals on the proper methods of the sale and distribution of alcohol.

“Underage drinking is a concern. There’s a lot of families throughout California and we want to keep you safe,” Carr said.

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