Invercargill pubs and entertainment venues will soon be forced to close their doors at 3am, after the city council bowed to pressure from police and other social agencies who sought reduced opening hours.
[commentcaption=Do you think reducing the hours will help?]The council's environmental and planning services committee decided at a meeting today "doing nothing" about the crime and anti-social behaviour that dogged the central city at weekends, was not an option.
Submitters, who argued in favour of shifting closing times for on-licence premises from 4.30am to 3am, said it was common for bar patrons to drink privately before coming into the city later in the evening, where the extended hours led to increased consumption and therefore an increase in violence and harm.
They hoped 3am closing would encourage patrons to come into the city earlier, when they may be less affected by alcohol and leave earlier.
Councillor Graham Sycamore said the new policy would not be a cure-all: "I think we would be fooling ourselves if we pretended there won't be problems with alcohol abuse in the city."
However, councillors didn't agree with police and Public Health South that some city restaurants were operating as taverns after 1am and should have their opening hours reduced accordingly.
They decided restaurant patrons were not contributing to liquor abuse in the city, saying there should be an opportunity for premises to remain open to 3am to cater for late dining, as long as the kitchen remained open and operating.
In another blow to operators with entertainment licences, the committee agreed that licensees should be able to demonstrate that more than 50 percent of the business income is derived from live entertainment, not liquor sales.
The council plans to seek the help of social agencies and police in formulating a plan to implement the new policy.
The committee hopes licensees will sign up to a city-wide accord and agree to adhere to the new closing times even if their current licences allow them to legally remain open to 4.30am.
Chairman Darren Ludlow said that had been the case several years ago when the council changed its policy from 24 hour-opening to 4.30am closing.
