Brisbane boutique bar owners fear blanket approach to alcohol laws will hurt livelihoods and jobs

A BLANKET approach to new laws aimed at reducing alcohol-fuelled violence, which includes no shots to be sold after midnight, will seriously impact small businesses, say West End boutique bar owners.

The owners of West End bars Cobbler and The Bearded Lady believed the proposed laws would be a massive hit to their bottom line.

The push to crack down on alcohol consumption was ­renewed when Highgate Hill 18-year-old Cole Miller died in hospital after he was ­allegedly assaulted in Fortitude Valley this month.

Cobbler owner Martin Lange said his bar relied on serving cocktails and straight spirits and ­believed regulations should instead cover nightclubs, larger venues or trouble spots.

“I’ve been open for three years and I have not had one single fight or one single ­incident,” Mr Lange said.

He said people should be educated about the dangers of alcohol rather than small bars owners being punished.

 

The Bearded Lady co-owner Chris Fairon said changes would affect his night’s takings.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the ALP Government planned to include a ban on “rapid-consumption, high alcohol content drinks” like shots after midnight.

“Evidence from around the world and here in Australia shows the most significant factor in reducing alcohol-fuelled violence in our communities is winding back the time that alcohol is served after midnight,” Ms D’Ath said.

Source: Quest Newspapers, Leah Kidd, 28^th January 2016