Booze break under review
The State Government could scrap the controversial 10-minute no-service rule placed on 48 clubs around the state in conjunction with the 2am-5am lock-out.
The move has been welcomed by Oxford St licensees affected by the lockdown legislation who say their staff are being abused by patrons when the rule is enforced.
Reports have emerged that the government’s working body on the new legislation would consider dropping the 10 minute rule if enough evidence could be shown that it was not working.
The rule, put in place to curb excessive drinking, is having the opposite effect, bartenders and licensees have reported, with patrons buying in bulk to avoid the no-service period and leading to increased aggression from frustrated patrons.
It’s a massive nuisance to say the least, Stonewall licensee Craig Bell said before calling on the government to reconsider the legislation.
We’re finding that when people queue up to get their drink and finally get to the front of the bar to be told -˜Sorry, we can’t serve you for 10 minutes’ it’s very inflammatory.
Unlike other affected clubs, Stonewall has had no reported cases of violence as a result of patron aggravation but this may be due to the diversionary tactics adopted by the club.
We try to distract [people] as best as we can by putting shows on for that 10 minute period, which works for us on the ground floor but we don’t have that luxury on the top two floors.
I’d like to see this and the whole legislation reviewed. All it’s doing is impacting on the businesses themselves.
It was a view shared by Arq owner Shadd Danesi.
I don’t see what the legislation is serving other than to put more people onto the streets and to put small venues under pressure, he said.
As for the 10-minute no-service rule, I don’t think it’s working at all. It creates crowding at the bar as people are trying to get drinks before the 10 minutes and people order extra drinks anyway, so it serves no purpose.
“The place isn’t what it once was and its because every venue is now packed out with hens nights and loud drunk women with their boyfriends along for a look at the freak show” – I agree, and its this aspect which as a community we should really stamp out.
I believe gay clubs should be gay only, Its unfortunate that we cant stop females or straight couples by entering in our clubs (stupid law)but with the right advertising/signage/promotional posters and special events (like “Toga” night or really obscure theme nights that would make straight people uncomfortable), we can def make it back on track.
Applause Michael! Very true, there is more to life then going to Pubs!!!
Quite clearly our drinking culture is unstainable. People get drunk with 24 hour trading, people get drunk even faster with 10 minute shut downs. Perhaps it’s not the rules that are the problem, but the people themselves? Perhaps the pubs themselves need to work out what the point of their business is?
There is more to gay life then pubs
An across-the-board closing time for pubs and clubs would also be fairer. One pub not on the list of dangerous venues one week may become the scene of assaults the next. Closure by 2am at the latest (rather than lockout) would make things less complicated and easier to enforce. And don’t forget it is possible to go to the bottle shop and entertain at home (or even not drink – now there’s a thought).
David S is right – california has a 2am closure and San Francisco is none the less gayer for it.
If patrons want to be agressive towards the staff, the staff can then escort them to the door. The workers have rights too dont forget.
If these people are buying in bulk so that they don’t have to wait TEN MINUTES, then what kind of an alcohol problem do they (and in turn WE) have?? that is crazy, that we have such behaviour over a 10 minutes shut down!
Typical whinging queens! Our community is the first to get up in arms if one of us is bashed by some drunken homophobe on George St, yet when the government tries to do something about drunken violence in the inner city, the claws come out because we have to wait an extra 10 minutes for our vodka and cranberry! We will have no credibility whatsoever in the future if we as a community actively oppose these measures simply because they cause a slight inconvenience.
I’ve worked for three of the venues on the “lock out list” while I was at uni (none of the Oxford St venues I might add) and I have never met a publican or licencee who isn’t motivated by monetary greed. They will profess to all who will listen that they are concerned for the safety and welfare of their staff but that is just a smokescreen. What they see declining is their bottom line and that is the real issue here. I turned 18 ten years ago and started going out on Oxford St not long after. The place isn’t what it once was and its because every venue is now packed out with hens nights and loud drunk women with their boyfriends along for a look at the freak show. Stonewall is the classic example. Licencees have sold out the GLBT community to make more money. No wonder theres more violence along the strip when you actively encourage drunken straight boys and their girlfriends into a gay venue. The government introducing lock outs is just the natural progression of these greedy proprieter’s shortsightedness.
Just get all the venues to close at 2am then re-open at 10am. Yes, there would be a lot of people on the streets at that time but that shouldn’t be a problem. After all, these venues would be adhering to the responsible service of alcohol so nobody should be tanked up. And if people are tanked up then it might be worth looking at these venues alcohol service practice and imposing penalties if they flout the law.
I have found Oxford Street to be quieter during the lockout… less drunk people around walking from venue to venue.
What I’d like SSO to report on is how the Surry Hills Liquor Licensee 6am-9am agreement/lockout is going. I have noticed that Phoenix/Exchange appears to be the only venue not adhering to this agreed lockout (it’s different to the Government imposed one). They could just open Rising an hour earlier at 5am. It just doesn’t seem right that all the other venues are doing the right thing and yet Phoenix gets to stay open and cash in on all the extra trade
I agree Iris, Oxford st during the lockout is simply scary, I believe they should scrap the lockout with the ten minute no service rule and just keep the plastic cups policy.
I think the 2am lockout is dangerous. If you become separated from your friends between bars and the lockout comes into place you are stuck on the streets on your own.
This happened to me on Saturday night and with the festival crowd it was even more daunting being alone on the city streets