Council strips licenses from Granby St. restaurant

NORFOLK

Posh Dolche restaurant will soon join two other downtown nightclubs that were forced by city officials to shut their doors.

Despite an impassioned plea for a second chance, the City Council refused Tuesday to give the restaurant's owners an opportunity to clean up their business's image and reputation. The council voted 7-1 to strip Posh Dolche of its licenses to serve alcohol and provide entertainment.

Councilwoman Daun S. Hester dissented.

The council's vote comes three months after a similar decision in August to deny two Waterside nightclubs - Bar Norfolk and Have a Nice Day Cafe - licenses to operate. Both were later shut down by the city.

The revocation of the licenses means the restaurant almost certainly will close. But it appears Posh Dolche would have been forced to vacate anyway.

Deputy City Attorney Cynthia Hall, who heads the Bar Task Force, told the council on Tuesday that Posh Dolche has lost its lease.

Richard Boner, a Portsmouth resident who subleases the space to Posh Dolche, said building owner Bobby Wright informed him on Monday that the lease would be terminated. Boner and Posh Dolche's owners are scheduled to meet with Wright today.

Posh Dolche, at 257 Granby St., has been under scrutiny for numerous violations, including overcrowding and allowing third parties to rent out the venue, as well as for fire code infractions.

Patrons from the restaurant also were involved in three shootings downtown in the past two years in which a total of six people were wounded, Hall said.

The police determined that double shootings on Aug. 28, 2008, Dec. 18, 2008, and last Thursday were done by patrons of Posh Dolche.

The most recent shooting occurred in the Freemason Street Parking Garage. Hall said the shooter emerged from Posh Dolche with a concealed weapon. The restaurant has a capacity of 100, including 25 employees, she said.

"To have three double shootings emanate from an establishment that small is of great concern to city staff," Hall said.

Robert Fields, a Virginia Beach resident who heads the restaurant management group, said the shootings also concern him, but said he was at a loss as to how to stop them.

"It's senseless that people can't go somewhere and get along without violence and guns," he said.

"If you've got 100 people, you can't walk everyone to their car and say, 'You go home now.' "

Hall told the council that Posh Dolche's owners were given warnings 11 separate times over the past two years.

"Management is either unwilling or unable" to bring the restaurant into compliance, she said.

"To me, it's almost unbelievable that somebody could be warned this many times and not correct the problems," Councilwoman Theresa Whibley said.

Still, Fields implored the council for more time to prove they could turn things around.

"It's unfortunate that we've had these incidents," he said. "But I really want it to work. I hope we can have a second chance. We're willing to work with the city."

Councilman Paul R. Riddick said he knew Fields' father, who was also a restaurant operator.

"I was elated when we approved these gentlemen two years ago. I hoped they would give us a good establishment," he said. "But when people don't do what they're supposed to do, they have to suffer the consequences. It breaks my heart that you've come to the fate you have."

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com