Earls Kitchen + Bar has had its liquor licence suspended for nine days for various violations of the territory’s liquor laws.

Those include serving alcohol to minors, allowing disorderly conduct and obstructing inspectors.

The majority of the breaches occurred during an after-hours staff party in early March where underage employees were allegedly consuming alcohol.

Earls had shut down from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. for the private function, and a liquor inspector driving by decided to investigate.

He observed violations of the Liquor Act and its regulations, Yukon Liquor Corp. spokesman Doug Caldwell said today.

He could not say what time this occurred nor what prompted the inspector to investigate.

Earls’ majority owner, Rich Thompson, learned of the incident five days later, when one of the restaurant’s competitors told him Earls employees were discussing the party.

Thompson wasn’t impressed.

“To say that I was upset is an understatement,” he said in an interview today.

“I expressed complete dissatisfaction about the fact that we were using our premises for a staff party and that there was any chance that we would be operating an event where underage people could be served liquor.”

As the inspector continued to investigate, management’s answers to his questions were not truthful nor complete, Caldwell said, which led to the cited obstruction.

“There will never be another staff party held at Earls again,” Thompson said.

“This is an extremely serious thing, to be accused of serving minors.”

He acknowledged the “fairly severe financial penalty” the suspension will have on Earls, but said he completely agrees with the punishment.

A full review of staff policies and procedures has been conducted, with a zero-tolerance policy implemented for the employees who organized the party, Thompson said.

If they engage in similar behaviour in the future, they will be dismissed immediately.

“They fully recognize the mistake that was made here,” he said.

As an apology to customers, Thompson said Earls will offer free pop, coffee and juice until the suspension ends at 10 a.m. April 22.

The restaurant’s signature non-alcoholic drinks will be 50 per cent off.

Earls will also donate $1 from every bill to MADD Whitehorse, he said, “so that some good comes out of this.”

Caldwell said Earls employees purchased alcohol for the party under the restaurant’s licence when they should have applied for a reception permit, which is specifically for private events.

Regardless of the type of licence or permit, serving alcohol to minors is illegal.

A yellow notice posted on the Whitehorse restaurant’s front door notes the eight breaches:

• Permitting disorderly conduct;

• Obstructing liquor inspectors (two counts);

• Possession or consumption of alcohol by a minor;

• Providing liquor to a minor;

• Failure to demand proof of ID/supplying liquor to a minor;

• Serving liquor to a disorderly person;

• Failing to maintain order; and

• Breaching the act or its regulations.

The licence was suspended Monday.

Caldwell said this duration is considered a severe penalty.

Suspensions can range from one day to a bar or restaurant losing its licence completely.