Bid to ban alcohol on Papamoa beach

Permanent night-time liquor bans along Papamoa's entire coastline are being sought to combat the noise and disorder from late night drinking.

The Papamoa Progressive Association has suggested a partial 10pm to 7am ban to Tauranga City Council's upcoming review of its liquor-free zones.

Association chairman Steve Morris highlighted the unsuccessful campaign in 2010 to have the consumption of liquor banned along all the beaches and reserves on the seaward side of Papamoa Beach Rd, Taylor Rd, Motiti Rd and Karewa Parade.

Mr Morris said their 2010 call for an outright prohibition was lost because the council thought it would impact on responsible drinkers' enjoyment of the beach and reserves - often referred to as the "right of people to drink a bottle of wine on the beach with fish and chips".

The association has arrived at a compromise to "overcome impinging on that sacred institution". It wants the liquor ban to run from 10pm to 7am and would also cover Papamoa Domain, Harrison's Cut carpark, the carpark opposite Stella Place, Taylor Reserve, Motiti Reserve and Topaz Drive Reserve.

Mr Morris said the partial ban would preserve the freedom for people to drink socially during daylight and evening hours, without the noise, disorder and litter associated with late night drinking.

The hours coincided with the current closure of Papamoa Domain carpark and the Domain toilets that followed complaints of late night binge drinking and parties.

The association also wants the area covered by Papamoa's summer time liquor ban to be included in the permanent 10pm to 7am ban so that it dealt with late night problems in Papamoa's town centre.

Mr Morris said the proposed ban would be less intrusive than the existing permanent liquor bans in the Tauranga and Mount Maunganui CBDs, Merivale, Memorial Park, Waitaha Park and Grenada Park.

The council has also sought the views of Greerton Mainstreet and the police as part of its review on the liquor-free and vehicle-free zones. Greerton Mainstreet wants a liquor ban imposed on the village shopping centre to deal with problems caused by intoxicated vagrants.

A paper on the review of the bylaw is expected to be put to the council on April 23. The draft bylaw would then go out for public consultation.