Tags:
Hargreaves Mall
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nightclubs
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violence
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anti-social behavior
By ANNIKA SMETHURST
ONE of Bendigo’s nightspot owners has called for consistency and adherence to the law to fix Bendigo’s late-night violence problem.
The Pub owner Gavin Fisher has called on Bendigo’s six late-night venues to come together and enforce the guidelines set out in the Bendigo Liquor Accord in an effort to tackle some of the anti-social behaviour issues in the CBD.
Mr Fisher, who operates a glass-free venue, has recently installed metal detectors to deter would-be troublemakers and said it’s time for other venue operators to be more socially responsible.
“We have a liquor accord which is often ignored,” Mr Fisher said.
“We have six operators in town, it shouldn’t be that hard to get regulations in place.”
Mr Fisher said new regulations such as a ban on high-alcohol shots after 2am would not be necessary if responsible service of alcohol regulations were followed. He also identified clear breaches of the accord with all-you-can-drink promotions and over-crowding in venues fuelling some of the problems in Bendigo’s entertainment district.
“I have been serving shots for 15 years, all of a sudden it’s an issue this year,” he said.
“It hasn’t changed, shots haven’t got anymore popular.
“If current regulations are adhered too it shouldn’t make a difference. The responsible service of alcohol says that it is illegal to serve any drink, a pot or a shot, to someone who is clearly drunk, but if the person is sober then it is ok.
“Shots aren’t the problem, the rules just need to be followed.”
Mr Fisher said the 2am lockout had not achieved a strong enough result in the past two years, leaving many late-night venue operators at a financial disadvantage.
“If the first solution you choose you then stick to, then we would all still be in horse and cart.
“It’s a solution but it’s not the solution.
“It got a result but is it the best result?”
The Pub has struggled since the introduction of the 2am lockout with a 50 per cent drop in business in the first week after the lockout was introduced.
Mr Fisher said venues with 5am licenses had gained an unfair commercial advantage by the 2am lockout and has called for the introduction of a 3am lockout to bring business back to all nightspots.
“There is no reason every license can’t come back to 3am,” he said.
“If everything was even the price wars would disappear because then it would come down to which venue has the best staff, which venue has the best entertainment and the best service.
“At the moment it is unfair, it’s un-Australian.”
