Council approves temporary liquor bans for upcoming festivals

No drink zone: Part of the 2020 Rhythm and Vines crowd at Centenial Marine Drive. This will be off-limits to drinkers as part of the temporary ban passed for the Summer Frequencies Music and Arts Festival in March. Picture by Liam Clayton

Temporary alcohol bans have been authorised for the reschedued Rhythm and Vines festival at Easter and the Summer Frequencies East Coast music and arts festival planned for early March.

The liquor bans, requested by police, have been authorised by Gisborne district councillors who were sitting last week for the first time in 2022.

But councillor Shannon Dowsing said there had to be a better alcohol ban process in the future.

He suggested a signficant events category, which could be rolled into the resource consent application instead of each event organiser having to go through the council.

A streamlined system would prevent the police having to waste time needing to make a new application every time R&V was held.

Council environmental team leader Julie Lloyd said she had previously thought the same and considered Cr Dowsing's idea worth looking at.

The R&V liquor ban could be looked at in the next alcohol bylaw review.

Their liquor ban details were well established and probably did not change that much.

That was not the case with other “newish” ban areas such as Marina Park, Kelvin Park and music events whenever they arose at the Soundshell.

Cr Dowsing said he did not agree that other events could not be included in the bylaw.

R&V should not require a specific liquor ban to be authorised each year.

He suggested a zone system with, for instance, Zone A covering the beach, including the Soundshell; Zone B being the Lytton West area and so on; and a significant events category linked to a zone or zones.

Council director of environmental services and protection Helen Brown said staff would definitely look at Cr Dowsing's idea during the next alcohol bylaw review.

“It seems more efficient,” she said.

Councillors passed the police application.

■ The first temporary alcohol ban is to protect the Midway Beach area and environs surrounding the Soundshell during the Summer Frequencies Music and Arts Festival.

The ban area is bounded by Awapuni Road, Pacific Street, Centennial Marine Drive, Beacon Street, Salisbury Road and Midway Beach.

The duration of the ban is from 8am on March 4 to 8am on March 6.

■ The second temporary alcohol ban is in the vicinity of R&V. It involves the sites adjoining and including Grays Hill scenic reserve, and carpark, Gray's Bush lookout, Waimata Valley Road, Back Ormond Road from Hansen Road to Matawai Road (SH2), Waihirere Domain Road, Snowsill Road, Glenelg Road, Kawatiri Road and all the roads joining Matawai Road to Back Ormond Road. Lytton West Reserve is also included in the ban area.

The duration of the ban is from 6am on April 13 to 6pm on April 18.

■ The third temporary alcohol ban is in the area of Kelvin Park and Marina Park, which is aimed at strengthening the permanent central business district alcohol bans.

These are areas where people may be drinking while waiting for buses to R&V.

The ban area is the whole of Marina Park bounded by the two rivers, Ormond Road, Fitzherbert Street and Peel Street, and the whole of Kelvin Park bounded by the river, Peel Street, Stout Street and Tairawhiti Museum.

The duration of the ban is from 6am on April 13 to 6pm on April 18.

■ The fourth temporary alcohol ban area is in the Midway Beach area and supports the R&V festival alcohol bans as a lot of festival-goers frequent this beach area in the daytime and early evening during the event.

The ban area is bounded by Awapuni Road, Pacific Street, Centennial Marine Drive, Beacon Street, Salisbury Road and Midway Beach.

The duration of the ban is from 6am on April 13 to 6pm on April 2022 18.

This area is used regularly for music events at the Soundshell.

Councillors also revoked the 2014 food hygiene bylaw as the new Food Act and regulations mean the bylaw no longer has legal effect.

Issues previously covered by the bylaw are covered by the act and local food businesses already operate under the act.