A fundraising alcohol tent for parents at a Mosgiel primary school fair has been opposed by health authorities, and will be the subject of a special liquor licence hearing today.
Raffles, bouncy castles, cake stalls, and a white elephant stall will all feature at the Elmgrove School Fair on Saturday afternoon, but it is an ''adult refreshment area'' which concerns health authorities.
The fundraising committee this month applied for a special licence for an alcohol tent to cater for parents between 4pm and 7pm, during the fair hours.
''The idea is that if the parents stay longer, more will be spent at the fair which will help their fundraising efforts,'' Liquor Licensing and Projects Officer Kevin Mechen noted in the hearings committee agenda.
That application was sent to police, Public Health South, and the liquor licensing inspector, with the Medical Officer of Health opposing the application on the grounds a licence for a school fair would be inappropriate.
Mr Mechen noted in the agenda that special licences had been granted for previous school fairs.
However, those licences involved the sale of donated alcohol, usually bottles of wine, by way of fundraising auctions and where the alcohol consumption was away from the school. Medical Officer of Health Dr Marian Poore said yesterday, via a Southern District Health Board spokesman, that it was ''not appropriate to comment ahead of the hearing''.
Elmgrove School board chairman Ben Baxter said he would not comment until after the public hearing, which is to be held today from 9am.
It will be chaired by Dunedin City councillor Andrew Noone, and include Crs David Benson-Pope and Kate Wilson.
