Director issues revised security plan for Bodega SF/The Felix; Castle SF suspension upheld
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Summary
The Entertainment Commission reported Nov. 18 that Castle SF's 15-day suspension (Nov. 8–23) was upheld; the director issued an order Nov. 14 requiring Bodega SF/The Felix to submit a revised security plan with stricter guard staffing, wanding and camera requirements, with deadlines for submission and compliance.
The commission received enforcement updates on Nov. 18: staff said Castle SF’s limited suspension had been upheld and that a director’s order requires a revised security plan for Bodega SF / The Felix following a sidewalk violent incident.
Staff described the Castle SF suspension as a 15-day limited suspension issued after the venue was found to have operated during an appeals stay and to have committed three violations within an eight‑day period; both the commission and the board of appeals affirmed the suspension. Staff said the business was suspended from Nov. 8 at 1 a.m. through Nov. 23 at 1 a.m. and that compliance visits had found the business closed during the suspension.
Separately, staff said they issued a director's order on Nov. 14 requiring Bodega SF / The Felix to submit a revised security plan after an incident on Oct. 26 that occurred on the sidewalk in front of the premises. The order requires more prescriptive security measures, including having three security guards on Friday and Saturday nights (with a female guard present), pat downs, bag checks and wanding for re-entry, and explicit interior and exterior camera coverage with data retention provisions for police review. "We determined that there were grounds to issue a director's order requiring compliance with a revised security plan," staff said during the meeting.
Staff said the permit holder must submit a revised security plan by the end of day Nov. 21 and come into compliance by Dec. 2 (a roughly 10-day implementation window), though staff acknowledged the need to provide the permit holder due process and time to adjust coverage and staffing. Inspectors will perform follow-up visits and the department is coordinating with the San Francisco Police Department.
Commissioners were informed that no immediate suspension was imposed for public-safety reasons, but that the director used the order to impose preventative operational conditions. The commission asked staff to continue monitoring compliance and report back on any further enforcement actions.
