Hamilton sports bar, wing restaurant facing COVID-19 fines — again

A Hamilton sports bar that has previously faced charges of breaking COVID-19 restrictions allegedly dropped the ball on Grey Cup weekend.

City of Hamilton data shows that bylaw officers laid four Reopening Ontario Act charges against the End Zone Bar & Grill (1305 Main St. E.) after an inspection on Saturday, on the eve of the hometown Tiger-Cats’ heartbreaking defeat. That accounted for almost one-quarter of the 17 charges under the ROA that were issued between Dec. 6 and 12, along with 11 tickets for breaching city bylaws.

The 28 ROA charges and tickets were meted to 13 establishments.

A penalty notice or ticket is considered an allegation. The business is presumed innocent until the alleged offence is proven or admitted. An enforcement fine under the ROA ranges from $750 to $1000.

The End Zone faces charges of vaccine verification violations, not having contact tracing, failure to conduct required screening of customers and/or employees and face coverings violations. All told, it has been assessed 11 charges from two separate visits this year.

After a Saturday-night bylaw visit on March 27, the End Zone was charged with seven violations.

Wingporium (737 Barton St. E.) is another apparent repeat offender. After a bylaw visit on Sunday, it was charged twice under the ROA for face coverings violations. City records show the takeout restaurant has been issued 12 ROA charges, and one ticket under the city bylaw, since Sept. 19.

Five face multiple charges under the ROA:

• Discipline Ninja Warrior, an Ancaster martial arts and fitness studio, is charged under the ROA for COVID-19 safety plan violations and failing to post indoor capacity limit and square footage sign at entrance.It was also ticketed under the city face covering bylaw.
• Sizzle & Koi, a Hess Street nightclub, faces two ROA charges for face coverings violations.
• Industria Pizza, on John Street South, was charged for allegedly not having contact tracing and for Face Coverings Violations)
• Layalina restaurant on Rymal Road East was charged for alleged COVID-19 safety plan violations and face covering violations.
• Symposium Café, also on Rymal Rd. E., faces two charges for vaccine verification violations.

Bad & Boujee, a bar that is also on John Street, was issued two tickets after a bylaw visit on Sunday (Dec. 12) discovering face coverings violations. However, that could be considered an improvement from what happened seven weeks earlier, when the bar received 10 charges of breaking the ROA on a single Saturday night.