Nightlife curfews in bid to stop violence

Late-night drunken violence on the streets of Darwin is so out of control that pubs and clubs are setting morning curfews.

The lock-outs, which begin this weekend when no new patrons can enter a premises after 3am, have been endorsed by the Northern Territory branch of the Australian Hotels Association. The lock-out also means that patrons cannot re-enter a club after 3am.

The conditions were proposed by the Licensing Commission after a series of violent attacks in Darwin's central business district.