Beer at Evinrude Centre concession stand was a mistake

Beer removed from Coca-Cola fridge; beer can only be served at licensed special events in arena’s banquet hall

Sorry, hockey parents: Beer at the concession stand of the Evinrude Centre arena earlier this week was there by mistake. And now it’s gone.

For a brief while, beer was stocked in the clear fridges in the upper-level concession stand at the arena – fridges meant exclusively for Coke.

That was an error, says Sue Warrington, manager of the city’s arena division – and staff made sure on Thursday afternoon the beer was removed.

“It shouldn’t have been stored in there,” Warrington said.

The city’s liquor licence only allows booze to be sold and consumed in certain areas of the Evinrude Centre – in the banquet hall during special events, for example, but not in the concession area.

Warrington said that’s because there’s an expectation, under the liquor licence, for staff to oversee where booze is being consumed in the arena. People aren’t supposed to go outside or onto stairwells with their drinks, for example.

Furthermore the Coke fridge is meant exclusively for Coke, Warrington added – other beverages are not supposed to be stored there.

But there’s new staff running the concessions at the Evinrude Centre, Warrington pointed out – so it’s likely that someone was unaware of the rules.

City council hired CGC Concession Group Canada – a firm based in Cobourg — to run the concessions and the catering in the Evinrude Centre in April.

Warrington said the firm started operating the concession earlier this month, and it seems that not everyone on staff knew they shouldn’t be putting beer in the Coke fridge.

“It’s just growing pains,” Warrington said. “It’s been nipped in the bud.”

CGC Concession Group was hired to provide food, drink and snacks at the Evinrude Centre for the next five years.