Small bar rules to be relaxed
Liquor Minister Terry Waldron has flagged a major overhaul of the rules governing WA's small bars in a bid to further stimulate the burgeoning scene.
Mr Waldron wants to see the cap on maximum patron numbers lifted from 120 to 150 to encourage the economic viability, as well as make changes to the contentious "public interest" test that has proved a major stumbling block for many unsuccessful licence applications.
He also wants to scrap a provision that prevents a failed applicant from reapplying for three years.
Mr Waldron said the small bar category, introduced by Labor in 2007 in a bid to diversify WA's drinking , had been a "great innovation".
"However, there have been some issues that have held back the growth of the small bar transformation and I am keen for the review to examine some new policies," he said.
Mr Waldron said the public interest test, which requires applicants to demonstrate how their bar will provide be a net benefit to the community, had been an "inhibiting factor" in establishing new venues.
The test did not distinguish between "high impact" big hotels, taverns and liquor stores and "lower impact" small bars and restaurants, he said.
"An alternative could be for a different public interest test for low impact licences that requires the applicant to demonstrate that the grant of the licence is not contrary to the public interest. This is a subtle but significant difference and one which I believe has the potential to greatly streamline the licensing process," he said.
In Parliament this week, Labor's Fran Logan raised the cases of The Precinct in Victoria Park and Cafe Royal in Cockburn, each of which had small bar licences rejected despite "enormous" support from local communities.
"The applicants have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars getting to this point, only to be knocked back," Mr Logan said.
WA Small Bar Association treasurer Jessica Patterson praised the intent of the changes but said it was critical how the laws were interpreted and applied by Liquor Licensing.
AHA president Bradley Woods called for extensive consultation. DID YOU KNOW? 67 The number of applications for a small bar licence since 2007
Source: The West Australian, 5 May 2012
