Late-night policy targets binge drinkers

CitySafe ambassadors who will help police and council staff enforce the one-way door policy, Molly Taka (left), Anthony Lewis, Gail Lewis, Hoki Witute, Joshua Rapata, Shing Lum, and Manu Bilich. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Late-night drinking in Whangarei is about to change, with a one-way-door policy being implemented that means patrons won't be able to bar hop between 1am and 3am.

The one-way door system came into effect on Tuesday and is designed to reduce alcohol abuse and increases the safety of people in the CBD late at night. The first big test of the new system will be overnight tonight, when weekend revellers hit the city's bars.

Licensed premises in the CBD such as restaurants, taverns, clubs, bars and pubs can stay open until 3am but must enforce the one-way door policy after 1am.

This means if a patron leaves a licensed premises in the CBD after 1am, they cannot re-enter that premises, or any other licensed premises.

Whangarei District Council group manager district living, Paul Dell, has encouraged patrons to come into the CBD earlier to enjoy the hospitality offered by licensed premises and to return home safely.

He said 15 licensed premises, including two restaurants, in the CBD were subjected to the one-way door policy.

"Our community wants to put an end to the harm, injury, crime and violence that happens when people get drunk and out of control. We know that the danger is highest in the hours after midnight, that's when emergency services see an increase in people caught up in violence, crime, harm and injury, and alcohol is nearly always a factor," he said.

Two bars - Bacio on Bank St and Head Office on Water St - that refused to embrace the one-way door system have been ordered by the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority to do so. The authority rejected their argument that it would be more difficult for bar staff to ask a patron to leave the premises if the person being evicted understood he would be unable to enter other bars.

Des Wallace, director of Bacio, is not confident the new system will change the way people consume alcohol.

"I don't believe it's a clever decision. The council has made bars the scapegoat for other issues in town and because we're legally open means we attract the less desirables into town."

The council has been working with businesses in the CBD, Hospitality NZ , taxi companies, City Safe, and will provide posters and other information for businesses to get the message out there.

"Once the one-way-door policy is in place it will be subject to weekly analysis and problem solving by a focus group including licensees, police, health and council so that any issues can be identified and dealt with immediately," Mr Dell said.

Council contractors Northern District Security which runs CitySafe has trained its officers to help police and other stakeholders enforce the one-way door policy this weekend.

Seven CitySafe ambassadors have received training in council by-laws and will for the first time work at night in the CBD on Fridays and Saturdays.

Gail Lewis has worked as an ambassador for two years and said she and her colleagues are not there to police the one-way door policy, but to report on it.

Four ambassadors will do the night shift and will mainly perform tasks such as escorting bar patrons to taxis, moving vulnerable people like women away from dark areas, and enforcing liquor ban laws.

"We will work in groups of two and police will be there to back us up," she said.