Taylor’s Bar and Grill, one of the University of Oregon’s most popular off-campus bars, may lose its liquor license.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) issued a notice to Taylor’s on Wednesday to cancel the bar’s liquor license due to 29 incidents of “serious and persistent problems” such as excessive intoxication, theft, flighting, druggings and sexual assault over the last year. The Register-Guard was the first to report on this story.
“The number, frequency and nature of the ongoing incidents that comprise the history of serious and persistent problems demonstrate that licensee does not have the willingness or ability to adequately control the licensed premises and its patrons’ behavior in the immediate vicinity of the premises,” the notice states.
The OLCC notice stated that some of the reported incidents led to patrons suffering serious injuries, including a fractured skull, a broken orbital bone and partial blindness.
The bar’s liquor license expired in June, but it received a temporary license until the OLCC’s review is complete, the Register-Guard reports.
Owner Ramzy Hattar, who purchased Taylor’s last year, has until 5 p.m. on Sept. 21 to request a hearing before the OLCC makes a final decision regarding the bar’s liquor license, the notice states. Hattar told the Register-Guard that he doesn’t anticipate Taylor’s losing its license.
The notice also stated that bar does not have a “good record of compliance.”
In 2016, the Emerald reported that Taylor’s was repeatedly accused of overcharging credit cards and accused of multiple drug-related incidents, including a bartender being accused of drugging patrons.
The Emerald reached out to OLCC public affairs officials Matthew Van Sickle and Mark Pettinger, but both were unavailable. The Emerald also reached to Taylor’s staff, who was also unavailable.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.