Alcohol ban aims to tame wild West Coast festival

Wildfoods committee chairman Russell Gugich says liquor bans are now normal in New Zealand. Picture / Simon Baker

Hokitika's annual Wildfoods Festival will next year introduce a feature that challenges all West Coast stereotypes - a liquor ban.

The aim is to cut down on the behaviour that makes many local residents dread the second weekend of each March.

On that weekend, the sleepy town of about 3000 people is transformed into a bustling party for up to 30,000 visitors who come to sample the famously weird and stomach-churning cuisine, soak up the atmosphere or just to get drunk.

The visitors leave behind millions of dollars in Hokitika, plus damaged property, vomit-stained streets, piles of litter, riled residents and worn-out police.

Because the event and the associated street party are so crucial to the town and the Coast, organisers have decided it cannot continue as it is. In an effort to rid the event of its booze-up image, the Westland District Council is gambling on the controversial liquor ban.

The move has been applauded by police and residents, but hoteliers call it heavy-handed and warn it may lead to the decline of the festival they rely on so heavily.

The ban means no drinking will be allowed on Hokitika streets, on the beach or any other public place. The town's camping grounds will be exempt.

Alcohol will still be sold and drunk alongside the wild foods, but the number of stalls selling alcohol will be slashed and hard liquor "shooters" will be banned.

The downtown attractions will be alcohol-free and people looking for a drink will have to try to fit into one of the few hotels.

Perhaps surprisingly, the ban has the backing of Monteiths Brewing Company, which sponsors the festival.

Monteiths brand manager, Jacqui Jones, says its customers are more likely to be people going to the festival than drinking on the Hokitika streets.

"At the end of the day, Monteiths is a brand more about refined drinking and a range of different tastes and beer and food matching. It's not about getting drunk."

The Weekend Herald this week approached Hokitika hoteliers, who were reluctant to speak out because of fears of upsetting the council or the town.

One said a woman had just cancelled four rooms it had booked for the festival because of the ban.

"She said because they couldn't go from hotel to hotel or go down to the beach and have a quiet wine, they weren't interested in coming."

The hoteliers' written submissions to the council when the liquor ban was proposed, obtained by the Herald, show the depth of their concerns.

Hokitika's Southland Hotel says the ban is the single biggest threat to the long-term future of the festival.

"We believe that the changes ... will lead to the eventual decline of the festival," the hotel management says.

"This will be truly sad for Hokitika, as apart from a few, the majority of the town is fully supportive of the festival, particularly for the contribution it makes to community groups' fundraising.

"Enforcement will be an issue, in what would seem to be an impossible bylaw to uphold. We believe it could well turn good fun-loving people into law-breakers."

The Railway Hotel wanted an area of the town centre fenced off for people to have a drink while enjoying the street party. It says a complete liquor ban is letting the minority dictate to the majority.

"Many genuine visitors will not be able to enjoy the festivities they have come to experience and they will leave Hokitika with a sour taste in their mouths. Is this really what the council wants?" said Railway Hotel director Hadyn Ellis.

The Stumpers Bar and Cafe said the council had to keep things in perspective and not react to a "small number of incidents".

"If we react too negatively, we will destroy one of New Zealand's true icons."

Festival organisers say they are simply responding to a community call.

"Over the past two or three years there's been the occasional incident that has coloured the reputation of the festival. There were calls for the tighter consumption of alcohol," says Wildfoods committee chairman Russell Gugich.

"Our research shows that liquor bans are now, unfortunately, an integral part of New Zealand. We are not killjoys."

Organiser Sue Hustwick says the ban will mean quite an adjustment for some, but the town has to be treated with respect.

"Somewhere along the line people have got the wrong idea of what goes on on the Coast."

Hokitika residents tired of cleaning up after the visitors hope the ban will save their town from the usual messy aftermath.

"When we have the Wildfoods, the town stinks afterwards of urine," says local mother Sarah Jolly.

"There are too many young people hanging around. I'd rather it was more of a family event than just a piss-up. It's not a good look."

Head of the West Coast police Inspector Vern Morris sees the liquor ban as a "great thing".

"It should help restore it to a family sort of festival, as it should be."

Festival facts

The next festival will be held on March 11. Among the delicacies: worm sushi and bull semen.

The festival is the biggest weekend of the year for Hokitika businesses. Each festival (and street party) injects about $2 million into the local economy.

Last year's festival won the New Zealand Tourism Award for innovation in events, meetings and incentives.