Barbers warned to cut out free booze
A police crackdown on barbers and hairdressers offering complimentary drinks has spread nationwide after starting in Dunedin.
Police have visited a number of barbershops, warning them it is illegal to give customers alcohol because they do not hold a liquor licence.
Dunedin alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin said yesterday he first became aware of the practice last month when he found out Barkers Groom Room in George St was offering drinks to customers.
Other Dunedin businesses had also been offering alcoholic drinks to customers, including a nail salon which offered a glass of wine to customers as part of a Christmas special last year, he said.
Rather than prosecuting the businesses, Paulin reminded the operators of their legal obligations.
He also informed police around the country and since then multiple businesses, including in Wellington and Auckland, had been contacted by police and told to stop the practice.
He pointed out that while the drink was complimentary, it was only provided when customers paid for other services, which effectively meant businesses were selling alcohol without a licence.
The argument from one Auckland hair salon owner that offering only one drink to customers was harmless did not hold water, he said.
“It’s clearly illegal and that’s the bottom line. It doesn’t say anywhere in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act that harm has to be caused by infringing the [Act].”
If businesses ignored calls from police to stop offering alcohol to customers they faced up to three months in prison and a $40,000 fine.
Paulin was unsure how long it had been going on: “We may be scratching the surface of something that has been going on in hair salons for a long time, or it could be something new.”
National prevention manager Inspector Paula Holt said police were aware some service outlets had been advertising complimentary alcoholic drinks. Police had told them it was illegal: “It is an offence to promote or advertise alcohol that is free of charge.”