New World Tavern, a downtown fixture fighting to survive, faces yet another challenge: A lawsuit from the town over the Main Street restaurant’s failure to install an expensive new grease trap in its kitchen.
The town is seeking a court injunction to force owner Karl Heine to have the work done – as other local restaurants have – to comply with strict sewage regulations.
Heine has struggled to keep up with other obligations, most notably in paying delinquent meals taxes, an amount that has now grown to more than $132,000.
In November 2023, the town’s Public Health Department sent letters to all restaurants on the sewer system requiring them to upgrade their grease traps to prevent clogging sewers with cooking oil, shortening, butter, margarine, lard, meat fats, food scraps, baked goods, sauces, and dairy products. Restaurants had to install a state-approved indoor automatic grease trap or a minimum 2,000-gallon external grease trap.
The requirement mainly affects restaurants in the downtown, waterfront, and North Plymouth areas.
The deadline for installing the equipment was Dec. 31, 2024.
In January, the newly renamed Public Health Division sent Heine a reminder saying he was not in compliance and could apply for a variance that would exempt him from the upgrade.
The town has granted a variance to some restaurants, Public Health Director Karen Keane said. Some restaurants were able to show that the food they made did not produce any fat, oils, or grease. Another had just installed a 1,500-gallon grease trap. Each variance must be approved by the five-member Board of Health.
Keane said she believes New World Tavern is the only restaurant that is not in compliance with the grease trap requirement. She said the town is working with a few restaurants still in the process of completing the installation.
The lawsuit comes after four warnings. In March, the town sent Heine a second reminder and fined him $100, in April, a third reminder with a fine of $250, and in May, a fourth and final reminder with a fine of $1,000.
The request for an injunction prompted Heine to finally get in touch with Keane on Thursday. Keane said they talked about what Heine would have to do to come into compliance. She said she advised him to reach out to a plumber, who would have to pull the permit and get the job done.
Heine did not respond to requests for comment.
“I look forward to working with him so we can have compliance with the fats, oils, and grease requirement for New World Tavern,” Keane said.
Restaurants have complained that the upgraded grease traps pose a financial hardship. They cost up to $10,000 to install.
Heine is among many restaurant owners grappling with the economic realities of a decline in tourism, fewer young customers, higher prices for goods, and a shortage of workers.
But there have been other hurdles for Heine and his business.
In December, the restaurant temporarily lost its liquor license just before the holidays because Heine was selling liquor without liability insurance in place, something that is required by law.
It was the second time Heine had let his insurance lapse in 2024. The Select Board in August of that year was considering suspending his license – after town officials inexplicably claimed they had tried for eight months to obtain proof that Heine had liquor liability insurance. But he offered poof of coverage at that time and was allowed to stay open.
Heine faced new challenges this summer.
On Aug. 9, a Saturday, the kitchen was closed. Heine said he wanted to give kitchen employees a break from the heat. The next weekend, the restaurant was completely closed. That time, Heine said he wanted to give employees a break before Labor Day, when, he said, business typically picks up after a summer lull.
Fred Thys can be reached at fred@plymouthindependent.org.