Flat-fee alcohol offer bites Hastings bar

A Hastings bar will become a pub with no beer for three days next month in a national precedent-setting ban imposed for a drinking promotion that broke liquor licensing rules.

The Liquor Licensing Authority has banned bar Bentan Twisteds from selling alcohol following the Ugly Mug promotion in which patrons could pay $10 and drink all they wanted in three hours.

A hearing on March 9 was told the promotion had continued despite two warnings.

The authority decided the bar's licence would be suspended for three days from April 19.

The general manager's certificate will be suspended for 10 days from the same date.

Police and the Hastings District Council brought the case, concerned that the promotion encouraged excessive drinking.

The prosecution was the first of its kind, the authority said.

Council licensing inspector Malcolm Hart said the promotion was illegal because it did not comply with the Sale of Liquor Act 1989.

After the bar's failure to heed the warnings, volunteers were used by the council to take part in the promotion and gather evidence.

"The decision by the authority has set an important precedent, and sent a clear message to all licensees throughout New Zealand that running liquor promotions to promote excessive consumption is illegal and not tolerated," Mr Hart said.

The licensee argued that excessive alcohol consumption was not the aim, as there were other rules to prevent that from happening.

But the authority decision commented: "The fallacy in his reasoning was exposed by the visit made by the volunteers.

"In our opinion, any promotion which allows for a fixed fee and unlimited consumption must be likely to encourage persons to consume alcohol to an excessive extent.

"It is almost inevitable that patrons will consume liquor more rapidly than they otherwise might."

- NZPA