Liquor ban call in Christchurch

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There are calls for a liquor ban in western Christchurch suburbs as the closures to inner-city bars have seen revellers flood suburban watering holes.

The February 22 earthquake destroyed many bars in the city, while many others lie within the still closed CBD. Around 120 bars are closed as a result of the quake.

Riccarton-Wigram Community Board chairman Mike Mora told Radio New Zealand Riccarton Rd has become a de facto night strip, having seen an influx of young people fighting and drinking on the streets after the quake.

"If they want to go to bars and have a bit of a nightlife that's fine, but they don't need to walk around the streets consuming alcohol, that's what the problem is," he said.

"We are prepared to accommodate a lot of people from other parts of the city over to our side, in the Riccarton and Hornby areas, but the behaviour of those people need to be controlled so our regular residents don't get too affected by it."

Mr Mora said a liquor ban would give police another tool to deal with the problem.

He said the board will likely recommend a liquor ban to the council when they next meet on April 19.