Suburban pubs appeal midnight closing policy

Seven suburban bars are appealing new closing times imposed on them as part of Dunedin's new city wide alcohol policy.

Dunedin's local alcohol policy came into effect on February 1 meaning new closing time for the city's licensed premises.

The biggest change in the policy is for suburban bars which now have to close at midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.

Central city bars now have to close an hour earlier at 3am and have to implement a one-way door policy at 2.30am.

The suburban time change has affected 19 licensed premises.

Seven of those, The Baaa Sports Bar and Grill, Eureka, Mosgiel Tavern, St Kilda Tavern, Mornington Tavern, Cableways Tavern and Mitchells Tavern have all appealed the new closing times.

Dunedin City Council customer and regulatory support group manager Adrian Blair said the seven premises would continue to operate at their pre-February 1 hours until their review had been considered by the Dunedin licensing committee.

Police alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin said the new policy had already shown its worth at the weekend, with the central clear of pub-goers by 4am without any trouble.

"To be honest from the word go we've been seeking those earlier hours for the best part of a decade so to have it finally in and see it working is fantastic.''

The next test for the policy would be when the students returned to the city at the end of the month, but from all indications it seemed like it would be an effective tool, Sgt Ian Paulin said.

The suburban closing times were a grey area and it was likely some of those appeals would be successful, he said.

tim.miller@odt.co.nz

Comments

Situation normal from the DCC yet again they have not done the homework and used a wide broom to sweep this under the one carpet, yet again, more time paid by rate payers for staff to investigate this and get it sorted. who signed it off? This is why those who signed it off should be sacked. [[[[[[[[[been to be sacked for sign off. Look at the big projects happening in Dunedin in years to come. they can't handle the basics yet alone big projects, with this work ethic they will cost Dunedin in over and over again and in huge dollar values, so far stolen cars, Cycleway re work, stolen Chinese garden stuff, no maintenance on drains, roads, Rubbish pick up

DCC who leads you do you have a template check off list to see if thing are relevant to the task.

Shame on you all for wasting Rate payers coin.

Scattershot, R2.

The story is about boozers (pubs), who want to sell more, after midnight.

Potocki d' Anti Nazi Resistance once in a blue moon I understand what you mean, this time it was a miss again straight over my head. which isn't hard sometimes

 

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