Council Renews Bar’s Entertainment Permit

Entertainment at the Oak bar will continue, at least for the next two months.

City Council members voted 4 to 1 to renew the bar’s entertainment permit for 60 days on the condition that its owner meet with the police chief and set rules.

The council had considered revoking the bar’s permit but decided give the Oak another chance. Council members said they hope the conditions, agreed upon by the Oak’s owner and Police Chief Steven H. Staveley, will eliminate the bar’s problems with the law.

City officials cited several police calls to the bar, located at 156 W. La Habra Blvd., in the last few months. One call involved a brawl in which a patron ended up in a local hospital, and when police questioned the Oak’s managers about the incident, they were “uncooperative,” City Atty. Richard D. Jones said.

“The concern is the management style of the owners of the business,” he said.

But an attorney representing the bar said the owner will work on being more cooperative with police.

Convinced there will be cooperation, all but one council member agreed to extend the bar’s entertainment permit for 60 days. The permit allows the Oak to provide a live band, a juke box, three pool tables, two dart machines and dancing.

Councilman James Flora, who cast the dissenting vote against the permit renewal, said he was ready to shut down the bar.

“I don’t think [the Oak] should even be there,” he said.