Liquor Licensees get Pat on Back

A greatly improved performance by liquor-licensed premises in the district have left the police and NPDC’s District Licensing Agency smiling.


Last Friday (12 October) more than 20 hotels, taverns and clubs in New Plymouth, Bell Block, Oakura and Okato were visited between 6.00pm and 1.30am to check their compliance with the law.

Only two venues were found to have breached regulations – a significant improvement on the seven premises identified in June this year.

Police Licensing Officer Meryn Wright says that, overall, it was good to see a significant rise in compliance. “We are pleased to see that licensees and duty managers were generally operating within the law,” she says.

DLA Inspector Murray Clearwater says the two breaches related to two unaccompanied 15-year-olds consuming liquor in one sports club, while a tavern had breached regulations regarding cigarette smoking and food availability.

“We will be reporting the smokefree issues to the Ministry of Health, and the DLA will follow up with the responsible licensees about the underage drinking and the absence of food for patrons,” he says.

Meanwhile, the DLA is also making enquires into a reported incident at Crowded House Bar & Cafe on 7 October where it was alleged that drinking by under-aged bar staff and other behavioural issues relating to staff and members of the Taranaki rugby team took place.