Extending liquor licensing laws could fuel 'ugly' side of Cup

Minister for the Rugby World Cup Murray McCully. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Party Central is all go, but boozy public gatherings during next year's Rugby World Cup will send the wrong message about sport and drinking, an alcohol watchdog has warned.

A bill introduced by Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully last month will see a temporary authority set up to deal with liquor licences for the tournament.

Many bar owners will look to stay open later during the Cup, while events and fan zones will need special licences.

New Zealand Drug Foundation executive director Ross Bell said the move opened the door for rugby booze barns and could expose "the ugly side of New Zealand".

"What kind of image do we want to give the world?" he asked.

Bell said he feared the change would mean a relaxed approach to the sale of liquor, as the authority could override existing rules.

"It would be a real shame at the end of the Rugby World Cup if the headlines weren't around the All Blacks prowess on the field, but all the violence that happened because of alcohol."

Kingslander pub owner Gary Braid supported a single authority taking a wider view of licensing issues for the Cup.

Braid, whose pub is near Eden Park, said he may extend opening times and set up a licensed marquee on game days.

Deputy police commissioner Rob Pope was pleased the bill allowed for a wide range of licence conditions and the ability to quickly change, suspend or cancel a licence.

Meanwhile, social networking is helping drive ticket sales and generate buzz for the Rugby World Cup.

The tournament's site is the most popular New Zealand-based Facebook page, 'liked' by 466,000 people.

It was also the second biggest source of traffic to the ticketing website said Rugby New Zealand 2011 marketing and communications general manager Shane Harmon.

"It's been tremendously successful for us, the single most important marketing tool for ticketing."