Red tape relief for WA restaurants

Small to medium-sized Western Australian restaurants with a capacity of 120 patrons or less will have the ability to serve alcohol to customers without an accompanying meal following reforms to the liquor licensing laws.

Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) has welcomed the WA Government’s latest reforms which will significantly reduce the red tape burden for the state’s restaurant industry.

“This is a win-win situation for restaurants, their customers and tourists,” said R&CA CEO Juliana Payne. “It goes without saying that Western Australia is globally renowned for the quality of its locally produced wines and now restaurants will be able to serve them to customers separately to food without having to jump through needless bureaucratic hoops to do so.”

Payne also urged the WA Government to consider expanding this provision to larger restaurants with a capacity exceeding 120 patrons, provided that the provision of meals remains the core focus of the business.

“Whilst the Government’s latest liquor licensing changes are no doubt a positive step in freeing up restaurants from the burden of red tape, it is important that larger restaurants do not miss out on this just because of their ability to serve more people in the one setting,” she said.

“We would therefore urge the WA Government to go one step further with these reforms and give all restaurants regardless of their capacity the ability to serve liquor to customers without the need for an accompanying meal.”

Sheridan Randall - 17th August 2018