Darby Street venue targeted for Liquor license breaches

BY JARROD MELMETH

Soho on Darby in Newcastle can no longer serve drinks without meals after the NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) found its mode of operation was resulting in anti-social behaviour including alcohol-related violence.

Following an investigation by Liquor & Gaming NSW, ILGA has revoked the restaurant’s Primary Service Authorisation which allows alcohol to be served without meals provided the business’s primary purpose remains a restaurant.

NSW police reports showed there had been nine assaults and five patrons charged with offensive behaviour at the venue between July 2015 and August 2016.

In its findings, ILGA said NSW Police had observed numerous times that the vast majority of patrons were on the first floor of the venue, with DJ entertainment, no tables and chairs and few if any patrons consuming a meal.

No staff could be seen in the kitchen and staff said only a limited menu was available.

Liquor & Gaming NSW’s Director of Compliance Operations, Sean Goodchild, said the case highlighted the need for venues with Primary Service Authorisations to ensure they don’t operate as nightclubs or bars.

“We have investigated a number of recent cases where restaurants have effectively morphed into nightclubs or bars which have far higher risks of alcohol-related harms including violence, anti-social behaviour and disturbance.

“Businesses that fail to run in accordance with their responsible service obligations and licence conditions can expect to be investigated and face serious penalties," Mr Goodchild said.

ILGA’s decision took effect on 18 December.

Review into Newcastle's Pubs and Clubs is "Sloppy": Tony Brown

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A Newcastle anti-violence campaigner is fuming a review is being undertaken into the city's lockout laws and drink restrictions.

The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority announced the review yesterday which could see pubs and clubs open for longer and more drinks sold to patrons.

Tony Brown believes the review is just about bending to the will of the industry rather than giving the community what they want.

He said the government has had the request for the review on their desk for five months from the Australian Hotels Association, but only now have they announced it and called for submissions from the public.

"This is a very underhand process, the AHA's request to abolish Newcastle conditions has been languishing in the Liquor and Gaming office for five months and was only yesterday that we received notice of the AHA's request," said Tony.

"Well its unfortunate that the NSW Government puts pub profits ahead of public and police safety, and this whole process has been completely done underhand."

"The AHA's application is extremely sloppy. They list the Civic Hotel as one adversely affected license premises. But what they've forgotten is the Civic Hotel burnt down on the 1st July 2009 so it's a very poorly prepared application, it's been with the government for five months," said Tony.

The AHA has hit back at the "sloppy" claims, Newcastle AHA President Roly De With said they may have written to the authority months ago but there had been no communication until yesterday.

"We wrote to the authority requesting a review of the conditions that's all that took place. Yesterday was the first time we had heard back from the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority that they would conduct a review and that's the end of it," said Roly.

The conditions have been in place in Newcastle since 2008 and have significantly decreased the number of alcohol-fuelled incidents throughout the city. In 2008 there was an average 99 assaults per quarter in the CBD, the figure halved by 2015.

Tony sees it as an attempt to "hoodwink" the Newcastle community and remove conditions that make us safe; he also said that the number of liquor stores has dramatically increased which is great for the Newcastle economy.

Roly from the AHA clarifies though that they aren't petitioning to change the closing times, just some of the restrictions on alcohol.

"The main point to clarify here is that we're not advocating for a change in closing times. We're suggesting that there should be considerations given to changing the drink restrictions. Not permitting cocktails is one thing that may have been a mistake at the time," said Roly.

"Make no mistake, at the heart of this problem is pure greed that the business in Newcastle's CBD, the entertainment people, the liquor supply people, have never had it so good," siad Tony.