The ban on Chelsea’s Cafe’s liquor license is back in effect, forcing the owner to stop selling alcohol.After a hearing Tuesday, with more than 100 Chelsea’s supporters in the courtroom, Judge Trudy White dissolved the Baton Rouge establishment’s temporary restraining order that blocked the state from prohibiting the sale of alcohol.
Chelsea’s owner Dave Remmetter had his restaurant’s liquor license pulled last Tuesday. He said he then filed a complaint for a temporary freezing on the state’s suspension. The hearing on Tuesday was only to discuss the restraining order, Remmetter said. The full-length hearing to decide if the state’s Alcohol and Tobacco Control has a case against Chelsea’s Café will be May 4 at 9 a.m., he said. “In the meantime, I need my liquor license,” Remmetter said. “Without the liquor, we’re not the same.” For the next week, the establishment cannot contain any alcohol, and all the bartenders were taken off the schedule, Remmetter said. No live music will be played either. The ATC originally cited Remmetter for two violations after a Jan. 22 raid at Chelsea’s. The restaurant was charged for operating as a bar with a restaurant license. ATC Commissioner Murphy Painter charged the owner with a $2,000 fine and suspended the owner’s liquor license unless the establishment met the state’s conditions to receive a rezoning change. But Remmetter said he complied with all of Painter’s requests. He said he applied to the state to rezone, paid the $2,000 fine, kept the kitchen open all business hours and made sure the restaurant was in compliance with the city.  Remmetter said he isn’t sure why the ATC pulled his license last week. He is hopeful more supporters will be present at next week’s hearing, and his Web site, Ilovechelseas.com, encourages Baton Rouge residents to be present at the hearing. A Facebook fan-based page “Save Chelsea’s Cafe,” has already gained more than 1,000 members as of Tuesday evening. —-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]