Kings Cross crackdown hits pubs and bars

New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell has this afternoon announced tough new conditions on Kings Cross pubs, bars, nightclubs and restaurants following an audit by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing.

Click here for a full list of the 58 venues affected by the new restrictions outlined below.

O'Farrell said a recent audit of all late trading venues in the Cross last month made a compelling case for dramatic change.

"During the audit, the incident registers of the late trading venues – registers they are required by law to keep – were carefully examined," O'Farrell said.

"That examination revealed a large disparity between the number of people being refused service because they were drunk; and the number of people turfed out for being drunk.

"Many more people were turfed out than were refused service – a scenario which has raised serious concerns about the application of responsible service of alcohol laws in the Cross.

"The unfortunate conclusion is that in the Cross, you will continue to be sold alcohol until you are so drunk you are thrown out – and the problem is transferred to the streets."

The changes in the licence conditions in the Cross will mean that on Friday and Saturday nights:

• shots, doubles, and ready-to-drink beverages (over five per cent alcohol) will be not be sold after midnight;
• no-one will be able to buy more than four alcoholic drinks at a time after midnight;
• from 11pm, two Responsible Service of Alcohol marshals must be on duty in each venue; and
• no alcohol will be sold or supplied in the hour before closing.

On every night of the week, the changes will mean:

• glasses, glass bottles and glass jugs will be banned after midnight;
• venue managers will immediately notify police of any violence causing injury, and preserve the crime scene;
• all licensed venues trading past midnight must maintain a digital CCTV system covering entries and exits, the footpath immediately adjacent to the venue, and all publicly accessible areas within the venue (excluding toilets). It must operate continuously from opening time until one hour after closing and footage must be provided to authorities within one working day of a request; and
• incident registers must be maintained at all times, rather than just just after midnight, as is the case now.

Source: The Shout, 15 August 2012