Garage bar operator fined

A Christchurch man who set up a bar in his suburban garage so his friends and family could smoke while they drank has been fined.

Irked by new anti-smoking legislation, Trevor Baillie, 52, decided to set up a place where friends and family could have a feed, a drink and a smoke, he told Christchurch District Court.

But Judge Stephen Erber convicted him on a charge of operating a resort for the consumption of alcohol, the Press newspaper reported today.

Family and friends drank alcohol at the Linwood garage for a year. The fact the bar was not open to the public was irrelevant, the judge said.

"Clearly, in my view there was a continual and repetitive use of the bar, the touchstone for the interpretation of the word 'resort'," he said.

Judge Erber said Baillie had admitted he sold liquor.

The court was told police searched the double garage after a tip-off and found it equipped with bar leaners, sound and video system, a commercial refrigerator containing various types of alcohol and tickets divided into segments.

A bar price list was found and the garage had a casino area with two non-operative poker machines.

Lawyer Richard Peters said the garage was used for family parties, rather than a commercial operation.

Judge Erber said he accepted the bar was not run for profit and, fining Baillie $500, noted the maximum fine for such an offence was $20,000.

- NZPA