Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jun 27/01) - Coffee addicts looking for a fix of Tim Hortons brew were locked out after the Yellowknife restaurant received a visit from the health inspector.
"We closed the restaurant Friday afternoon for violations under the Public Health Act," said environmental health services manager Brad Colpitts.
He said the action came after his department received complaints about the shop.
While he would not go into detail about the restaurant's infractions, he said they "would have to be fairly serious to take closure action."
On Monday, he said, "They are still closed at the moment but we're taking another look today."
Colpitts said before the store is allowed to re-open the facility's conditions will be studied as well as the conditions that led up to the closure.
Tim Hortons franchise owner Pam McAskill said they cleaned the restaurant from top to bottom before it opened late Monday afternoon.
"It's a staffing problem," she said and added restaurant staff can't keep up with cleaning duties because of the long hours they keep -- the business is open 24 hours a day.
She said Yellowknife is a difficult place to find employees to work in the food services industry.
"We're closed for cleaning. That's all I can say," said MacAskill.
Tim Hortons corporate spokesperson Patti Jamieson confirmed the head office has been fielding complaints about the Yellowknife restaurant.
"In all honesty over the last two or three weeks there have been a higher number than normal."
She attributed the lack of regular cleaning to labour difficulties.
"There has been a lot of attention that has come upon this store by customers who have not been satisfied."
She said Tim Hortons chains pride themselves in having the cleanest of establishments.
Plans have been made for the restaurant's district manager to work with the store manager and get the store up to snuff.
As franchise owners, MacAskill and her partner Dennis MacAskill own the equipment inside the store but they lease the building from the Tim Hortons parent company.
"Over the last few days they have been able to go over the store and make the necessary changes."
Jamieson said many criteria are involved in owning a Tim Hortons including money, work ethic and hands-on experience.
Jamieson explained that management's first priority was getting more staff on board.
"We'll be making cleanliness our priority even if it means slower service."
