Publican Mark Deason, who ran the student-orientated Bowling Green in Frederick St until it closed earlier this year, says he is aiming for a different target market with his new venture and those under 20 "won't be served or permitted entry to our premises".
He described the "enthusiastic" behaviour of customers under 20 as "more erratic" than those over 20.
"They are often louder and more obnoxious."
Mr Deason believed more students were choosing to travel into the centre of the city to visit bars rather than staying within the North Dunedin area.
"Generally, younger people move about from bar to bar faster than people more accustomed to drinking in bars. As a result, they often disturb the flow of patrons in bars as they rush in and rush out."
Mr Deason said other bars discriminated against younger drinkers in "not in a very overt kind of way" by giving them "a different sort of treatment" and by putting on cover charges to discourage them.
He believed under 20s "deserve" to have bars catering for them and it was better they were in supervised places.
However, the new Bowler would be "a sanctuary" for those wanting "to hide from less relaxing bars filled with young kids".
Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector Tony Mole said he could not think of another bar in New Zealand prohibiting those under 20. He could recall cases where nightclubs had tried to exclude older people.
Under section 15 of the Sale of Liquor Act, a licensee was not obliged to serve liquor to any person but the section was subject to the Human Rights Act 1993.
The Human Rights Act says discrimination is prohibited on the grounds of age for those aged 16 or over.
