March 10, 2023
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The Rose Bar, at 60 E. Baltimore Ave. in Clifton Heights, Delaware County, will close temporarily after the borough took legal action in response to a shooting last November and complaints from residents.
The Rose Bar in Clifton Heights will be closed for at least the next three months after its owners reached an agreement with the borough to address public safety concerns, officials said.
Clifton Heights Borough Council President Mike Humphreys initiated legal action against the The Rose Bar in February after a recent string of incidents that led to complaints from local residents.
The family-owned bar has been at the intersection of Baltimore and Diamond Avenue for more than 20 years.
In November, two groups of patrons at the bar were asked to leave due to a disagreement. When the argument continued on the street, police said 14 shots were fired and one person was injured.
Other incidents included reports of public drunkenness, excessive noise and lewd behavior, the borough said.
“As borough officials we will not tolerate this type of nuisance or conduct in our community and are doing everything in our power to address the problem,” Humphreys and Mayor Mark Campbell wrote in a letter to residents on Feb. 3.
The borough filed a request in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas for the bar to cease operations. In the meantime, Clifton Heights police sent additional officers to the area of the bar during its peak hours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The consent agreement approved Thursday by the court requires The Rose Bar to close for three months effective March 10. If the owners want to reopen after that time, they will be required to shut down at midnight every night for nine months and put in place stronger security measures.
“This remedial action underscores that we will fully enforce and hold business operators accountable to ensure public safety," Humphreys said after the consent agreement was reached. "It is my hope that these steps will ultimately help to address the ongoing problems associated with the establishment, however borough officials and our police department will continue to carefully monitor the situation once the bar reopens for business.”
A call made to The Rose Bar on Friday afternoon was not answered. The bar's Facebook page was not updated with a statement about the closure as of Monday afternoon.
The Delaware County Daily Times reported the bar is owned by Heng Sisters LLC and managed by Shemmay Heng. Its liquor license was renewed last August and expires in November.
“This is a positive outcome for the community of Clifton Heights and I thank Council President Humphreys for his leadership on this issue,” Campbell said. “Rest assured, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and the conduct of the establishment’s patrons going forward.”
