Delay to temporarily close Mount Maunganui beach liquor ban 'loophole'

Tauranga City councillor Steve Morris moved to close the liquor ban loophole after finding himself in the middle of a violent brawl. Photo / Andrew Warner

The length of time needed to make and wind-test signs is one reason Tauranga's council says it can't close a coastal liquor ban "loophole", even temporarily, until February.

Councillor Steve Morris moved to bring in a beach liquor ban to a 7km stretch of coastal strip at Omanu after finding himself in the middle of a violent, alcohol-fuelled brawl.

In a move supported by local police, he proposed introducing a 9pm to 7am overnight ban from Grove Ave to Sandhurst Drive.

It is the only stretch of Mount Maunganui and Pāpāmoa coastline that does not already have a 24/7 or overnight liquor ban.

In a meeting last week the council's policy staff said the soonest a temporary ban could be introduced was February.

New legislation governing liquor bylaws required evidence of a high level of alcohol-fuelled crime.

There were also long delays to have signage made, then to have it "wind-load tested" in its new location.

The council heard that any bylaw would not be enforceable by police without adequate signage.

The council voted to introduce a temporary ban from February 4 to April 7.

Oceanbeach Rd resident Ian Armstrong said the ban needed to happen as soon as possible.

His family spent part of their Saturday cleaning up more than 50 bottles and cans around the remains of a beach bonfire between Waiariki St and Surf Rd.

Bottles, some of them broken, were spread across a 50km stretch of beach, including in front of a beach access.

"That's where kids come running down with no shoes on."

They loaded the rubbish into a shopping trolley left on the beach and took it to the rubbish bin.

It was nowhere near the first such incident. He said he had nearly been assaulted by a "drunken youth", and many residents on the road had "disgusting stories to tell about the drunken and threatening behaviour by alcohol-fuelled louts".

"The youths know the Omanu area is one area of beach without a ban so obviously, this is where they will congregate."

Armstrong helped lead a successful effort to have the council introduce a liquor ban for Waiariki St, a side road with beach access off Oceanbeach Rd, in Omanu.

He said since it had come into force there had been no issues.