With a criminal case pending and various code violations, county staff is recommending the Arlington County Board not extend the live entertainment permit for Chester鈥檚 Billiards, Bar & Grill.
The billiards hall and neighborhood bar at 2620 S. Shirlington Road in Nauck has the annual review of its permit for live entertainment and dancing at the recessed County Board meeting on Tuesday, July 18.
But staff said the Board a renewal after a slew of problems this past year, for the bar that opened . The Arlington County Police Department said they were called 16 times during the past year, including during the bar鈥檚 live entertainment hours.
The report said several police calls involved 鈥渧iolent altercations or assaults, including incidents directly involving Chester鈥檚 manager and co-owner,鈥� including disputes with employees and an accusation of vandalism on the phone lines of another nearby restaurant.
The Fire Marshal, Code and Zoning Enforcement all issued violation notices, while staff had not received required training for serving alcohol. The Virginia ABC also has pending charges that could result in Chester鈥檚 liquor license being suspended due to inadequate food sales and false figures for alcohol purchases, the report says.
The building鈥檚 elevator is under 鈥渁ctive criminal investigation鈥� for being unsafe, after a violation notice was first issued last August, according to the report. Since then, staff said it has not been corrected, with their report describing the elevator as 鈥渄angerous to the health, safety, and welfare of the building鈥檚 occupants.鈥�
The report notes that the president of the Nauck Civic Association said the group had no 鈥渋ssues or concerns鈥� with Chester鈥檚, while the president of the nearby Shirlington Crest Homeowners鈥� Association did not respond to requests for comment.
The live entertainment permit allows Chester鈥檚 to host 鈥渁 variety of live entertainment types, including music, , and magicians.鈥� The staff report says the elevator issue may also prompt the county鈥檚 building maintenance official to 鈥渟eek revocation of the Certificate of Occupancy for disregard and/or refusal to correct violation.鈥�
Chester鈥檚 is located in the building that was home to Lucy鈥檚 ARL and Champion Billiards.
Hat tip to Chris Slatt. Photo via .
