Crime & Safety
Ballpark Tavern Shut Down In Bristol
The strip club was cited by authorities for prostitution, drug overdoses, liquor code violations and more, officials said.
BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, PA — Ballpark Tavern, a strip club located in Bristol Township's Levittown section, was shut down over the weekend after a judge declared it a public nuisance.
The Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and other authorities announced that the bar, at 7201 Bristol Pike, will remain closed until a full court hearing can be held. State officials cited prostitution, overdoses, public drunkenness and other issues as their reasons.
The decision to close the bar, which has spurred complaints in the area for years, was made as a result of discussions between the bureau, Pennsylvania State Police, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bristol Township Police and the Bucks County District Attorney's office.
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"Since 2017, law enforcement has documented a pattern of illegal and irresponsible behavior from the operators of Ballpark Tavern, its employees, and patrons," said Maj. Scott T. Miller, director of the PSP Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. "Beyond repeated violations of the liquor code, we uncovered instances of public drunkenness, prostitution, and overdoses that were negatively affecting people and other businesses in the area."
Additionally, officials said, DCNR rangers routinely investigated complaints of patrons of the bar polluting the Delaware Canal Towpath nearby.
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Under Pennsylvania's liquor code, the court can prevent a business from being operated for one year if authorities present proper cause. That cause can come in the form of liquor code violations, police incidents and community complaints.
The hearing for Ballpark Tavern will take place in Bucks County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday, June 25.
"This is a quality of life issue," said Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub. "Closing down the Ballpark Tavern is an important step toward protecting the people in this community and cleaning up the area."
Anyone who would like to add input in the case may contact the PSP Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement's Allentown office at 610-366-2600.
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