Liquor ban in Taradale for concert

The Mission Concert will be subject to a liquor ban in surrounding Taradale streets, due to a "minority" of people who make it difficult for the majority to enjoy themselves.

The ban was passed at yesterday's Napier City Council finance committee meeting, following a request made by Senior Sergeant Ross Smith of Napier Police.

"The ban will assist police to control the drinking of alcohol and associated disorder for two concerts being held on these dates at the Mission Estate Winery venue," Sergeant Smith said in a letter to council.

The committee's agenda reports that in a change from previous events, the 2016 event will see two different artists performing on two consecutive days.

"Police are requesting that the liquor ban is imposed on both days," the agenda reads.

"Specifically, from 11am to midnight on Saturday , February 27, 2016, and from 11am to midnight on Sunday, February 28, 2016."

According to the agenda a reason for the request was that there was a long and well-known history of disorder and alcohol-related harm associated with the Mission Concert.

That included damage, disorderly behaviour, illness or injury caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol.

"It is anticipated that the imposition of the liquor ban will greatly assist in reducing the incidence of patron pre-loading prior to the event.

"Pre-loading (consuming alcohol before an event) is widely accepted as one of the main contributors to alcohol-related harms," the agenda said.

Speaking to Hawke's Bay Today after the meeting Napier mayor Bill Dalton said while the ban was passed by council, he did not believe that there was a lot of alcohol-related harm from the concert.

"I disagree with that opinion entirely," he said.

"I think that one of the reasons why the concert has struck some difficulty in recent years is because the rules have been made for a very, very tiny minority of people who don't know how to behave.

"They have made rules for everyone to try and curb a very, very tiny minority of people who are irresponsible."

This is why the council has offered police the flexibility to close the roads both nights, despite one of the headline acts, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, postponing their gig until later in the year.

While the mayor will not be attending the event due to a family engagement, he is a long-time supporter of it.

"I am disappointed with the killjoys of this society who have made it difficult for the rest of us to enjoy ourselves," he said.

As such the streets, listed right, have been approved as a "specified public place".

The temporary ban does not place any constraints on the occupants of those private dwellings while inside their own properties.

Which streets are affected?

The liquor ban will encompass all public places, reserves, roads and footpaths on both sides of the road within the area described as:

* Church Rd - from Wharerangi Rd to Tironui Dr
* Avenue Road - from Church Rd to Avondale Rd
* Mission Rd - from Church Rd to Auckland Rd
* Montpelier Drive
* Tironui Drive
* Irene Moody Place
* Bishops Close
* Ennor Place