Wed 18 Dec 2013 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Grady Elliott hopes the changes stop people hanging around in the street until daylight (picture thanks to Andrea) The all-night party is over for some of the nation’s gay hotspots, but at least one K' Rd bar owner hopes a blanket closing time will begin to ‘clean up the street’. Among sweeping changes to liquor laws which come into effect today, all bars must close by 4AM. Off-licenses have to stop selling at 11PM, people can be refused alcohol or thrown out of a bar if they showing two of four ‘signs of drunkenness’, while anyone trying to slip past a bouncer can be fined $250. Owner of K’ Rd gay bar Legend Grady Elliott says the changes are “brilliant”. He hopes the 11PM off-licence closure will lessen the number of people drinking in the back of their car or on side streets around the glbti nightspot. Elliott is also supportive of the 4AM closing time, as he is not a fan of people ‘lingering around’ when the sun comes up. “I just don’t think people should be drinking at six, seven, or eight in the morning. I think by four o’clock people have had enough,” he says. “Shopkeepers coming to work and people coming to shop shouldn’t have to deal with that aftermath from the night before, people hanging around in the street. It’s going to clean up K’ Rd.” Elliott hopes it entices people to come out earlier in the night. “We’ve got this twenty four-seven philosophy at the moment – everybody’s got the idea that we can just start later and then we can end later … hopefully they’ll come out earlier and be done by 4AM and be happy with that.” He is concerned about what will be a ‘4AM spill’ however, as people pour out of bars at the same time. “I don’t think we’ve got enough taxis. The police and transport people reckon we’re going to have enough to get everyone home, but the carnage is going to be everyone spilling onto the road trying to get a taxi, or trying to get the last bus home.” Elliot realises the law changes won’t solve New Zealand’s drinking culture, but says they will “help tidy it up a bit”. The blanket 4AM closing time won’t impact Legend, which is done around 3AM anyway. Up the road, Auckland’s longest-running current gay nightclub Family is readying for the 4AM lockdown after years of being an ‘all-nighter’ bar. It’s been offering patrons a run down on the new laws, “to keep yourself, your friends and our family safe” as it puts it. Family is making it clear it will not serve intoxicated people or allow them to remain on the premises. “We at Family Bar value your patronage and we are here to give you a fun safe environment to dance, sing and party. So please do not be offended if you or a friend are asked to leave for the night – we still love you.” Across the road Eagle Bar’s weekend closing time of 5AM will become 4AM. Poof on Ponsonby Rd is more of an earlier evening drinks bar, with shows earlier than at its sister venue Family. Hamilton’s Shine and Wellington venues S
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 18th December 2013 - 11:45am