Bar owner: Fight at different pub

Napier City councillor Keith Price, owner of The Thirsty Whale.

The owner of one of Hawke's Bay's most popular bars is dispelling rumours of an alcohol-fuelled street brawl outside his pub just a day after police argued against renewal of its liquor licence due to late-night fights.

Police were called to the hot spot along West Quay in Ahuriri the night of December 6 to quell an apparent skirmish between a group of patrons.

A witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said he saw a fight break out at the Thirsty Whale before the brawl spilled out onto the street. Several police officers were required to defuse the disturbance, he said.

However, Thirsty Whale owner and Napier City councillor Keith Price said the fight took place outside the neighbouring pub Provedore, and involved only a couple of people.

The two men were refused entry to Thirsty Whale before they started fighting and only later subdued by police pepper spray, while some of his security staff were also sprayed in the incident, he said.

Thirsty Whale bar manager Michael Dickerson was told by his staff a group of three men were first denied entry to the Thirsty Whale before making their way to the entrance of Provedore.

"Something happened between them and the owner, security staff of Provedore that caused the two police [officers] across the road to come across and take the group back to their side of the road," Mr Dickerson said. "The exchange got heated at this point and one was then arrested with our security staff assisting, which resulted in two of them (security staff) being accidentally pepper sprayed."

A police spokeswoman said: "We regularly attend disturbances at the Thirsty Whale every weekend. This is not out of the ordinary. Evidence around this was given at the liquor-licensing hearing."

Thirsty Whale had its liquor licence renewed following a Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority sitting only a day before the incident, where an allegation that one of Thirsty Whale's staff sold drinks to an intoxicated person was heard. The licence was renewed despite police voicing concerns about problems caused by the bars along West Quay in general, and the Thirsty Whale in particular.

Police alcohol harm reduction officer Sergeant Raymond Wylie didn't attend the incident but said: "I respect the decision of the authority and am pleased additional conditions have been placed on the renewed licence.

"I am optimistic that those measures will achieve the collective goal of the licensee and other business owners and users of the area in that there will be a reduction of alcohol-related harm."

The conditions included a 2am one-way door policy, meaning no one could be admitted during the last hour the bar was open. Patrons would also not be allowed access through a side entrance.