Liquor outlets fear effect of LAP introduction

wta270814lfclose01.jpg Dispaly pic - Liquor outlets closing at 9pm. WAG 01Sep14 - TIME UP: Draft local alcohol policy proposes 9pm closing time.

Wairarapa pub and club owners say proposed restrictions around the sale of alcohol are "draconian" and will put them out of business but the people who deal with alcohol related harm welcome the new measures.

Almost 80 submissions were made by the public on the draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), prepared by the Wairarapa Alcohol Working Group made up of six councillors from all three Wairarapa councils.

It proposes restrictions on the location of licensed premises, the ability to impose discretionary conditions like limiting advertising, earlier closing times of 9pm for bottle stores and supermarkets, 11pm for sports clubs and 1am for pubs and other clubs.

A one-way door policy would also apply from midnight for pubs.

Owner of Joxer Daly's in Masterton, John Cavaney, said in his submission the 1am closing time and door policy "will put a dagger right into the heart of Masterton's night life" and at least four part-time staff would lose their jobs.

"This will force us to employ even more costly door control staff ... because of the extra costs and shorter trading hours it will not be worth us opening after midnight."

Manager of the Wairarapa Services and Citizens Club, Kerry Hannah, said while they agreed with the majority of the policy, it was "fairly draconian in this day and age".

"For the majority of nights the club closes much earlier than 1am but we would still like to reserve the right to remain open to at least 2am."

Horse & Hound owner Carey Ashwell said the changes would not make any difference.

" You have not got to the cause of the problem which is cheap alcohol from bottle stores and supermarkets, instead you are intent on putting on-licence premises out of business."

Supermarket owners said stopping sales at 9pm instead of the existing 11pm deadline would inconvenience shoppers and argued that alcohol-only sales only made up a small percentage of sales.

Allan Pollard, the chief executive of Trust House, which runs a number of businesses that sell alcohol, said the door policy should not be in the LAP as research suggested they didn't work and the outcome was an increase in violence and unsocial acts.

Wairarapa District Health Board and Regional Public Health jointly supported the changes and also recommended a sinking lid approach on new liquor licences, limiting advertising to 25 per cent of the shop frontage and for any licensed premises operating within 200 metres of a sensitive facility, like a school, a public hearing would automatically be triggered.

They said there was extensive evidence that restricting the availability of alcohol reduced alcohol related harm

In the 2013-14 financial year, 704 people in Wairarapa accessed alcohol and drug services, a significant number who needed help, they said.

The working group will now consider the submissions for the provisional LAP.