CLEVELAND, Ohio — TownHall can continue serving alcohol while Cleveland challenges its liquor permit, and owner Bobby George’s felony conviction will not automatically cost the Ohio City restaurant its license.
The outcome will depend on whether state regulators find that George’s attempted-strangulation conviction is reasonably related to his fitness to operate a business that serves alcohol.
Ohio court decisions show that regulators may consider the criminal record of a bar owner or manager. They also show that the state generally needs more than the existence of a conviction. The nature of the crime, the person’s role in the business and other evidence can affect the result…