At a Jan. 28 hearing, the NWT Liquor Licensing Board was told how the Caribou Lounge had reopened before a previous suspension had been completed.

As a result, the board ordered a 30-day licence suspension to begin the following day. The suspension ends at 10 a.m. on Feb. 28. The lounge, which operates under a licence to 4883 NWT Ltd., was also fined $5,000, which is to be paid prior to reopening.

On Dec. 10, the board had suspended the Caribou Lounge's licence from Dec. 13 to Jan. 11 and fined it $5,000 for five incidents of allowing drunkenness on the premises.

The lounge reopened on Jan. 10, the day before the suspension ended. About 20 customers were served that day and $400-$500 worth of alcohol was sold.

"The board is a little bit disappointed," chair Eric Malmsten told Caribou Lounge owner/manager Bill Leung in announcing the suspension.

Malmsten suggested there needs to be a dramatic change in the attitude and operation of the lounge.

Leung told the board that the lounge opened by mistake.