Bars warn council: vibrancy will go
‘Earlier closing hours would certainly put extra strain on the day-to-day survival of this business.’
LOWER HUTT bar owners have panned a proposal that would force them to close two hours earlier than others in the city centre.
The Hutt City Council’s draft local alcohol policy has retained its current on-licence operating hours, which allow bars and nightclubs in the Lower Hutt central business district to have opening hours of 7am until 3am. But any venues outside the central city would be required to close at 1am.
Off-licences would be allowed to remain open until midnight, apart from those in the eastern ward, which would be restricted to 9am10pm. In the Waiwhetu shopping area, only the sale of beer and wine would be allowed.
Bar owner Graham Watson said in his submission that, without uniform closing hours across the whole council area, customers would gravitate towards bars closing later, causing problems with host responsibility and ‘‘customers wandering the streets’’.
‘‘If council does not foster and promote a viable night-life in the area, then customers will increasingly make the choice to travel into the Wellington central business district. This will mean the loss of businesses and jobs, and will mean more investment is not attracted to the area,’’ Mr Watson said.
Other bar owners echoed the concerns, with many stating that the proposed hours would increase the risks of drink-drivers travelling between areas to buy more alcohol.
Kevin McIntosh, of the Firemans Arms in Petone, said the suburb had become an entertainment destination and 3am closing times suited the area better.
Instead, the existing licences should be allowed to remain until they came up for renewal, he said.
‘‘On the financial side, earlier closing hours would certainly put extra strain on the day-to-day survival of this business.’’
But the regional public health group recommended the council reduce on-licence hours even further, with bars in the central business district and Petone restricted to 1am closing. ‘‘Anecdotal evidence tells us that many licensed premises across the Hutt City close well before the current maximum trading hours of 3am, reflecting the nature of the area,’’ the group said.
The council will now set hearing dates for oral submissions on the policy.