Tavern licence signals Scarborough rebound
The revitalisation of the Scarborough beachfront has received another tick of confidence from the State’s liquor authority, with the approval of an expanded liquor licence for a popular restaurant.
The Director of Liquor Licensing approved The Local Shack’s tavern licence late last month despite objections from the Health Department and Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan.
Brad Wright owner of The Local Shack. . (Picture: Robert Duncan/ The West Australian)
The venue previously had a restaurant licence that required patrons to order a meal.
Both objectors argued that Scarborough’s history of alcohol-related problems coupled with the opening of some new venues recently would result in big numbers of people “who have been consuming alcohol congregating and interacting in the area”.
Delegate of the director Peter Minchin said in his decision that new restaurants and bars would help the overall redevelopment of the area.
“The Scarborough beachfront is undergoing significant transformation,” Mr Minchin wrote.
“The provision of hospitality services can contribute positively to the overall success of this redevelopment. Whilst the evidence establishes that there is some existing alcohol-related harm in the area, it does not currently appear to be at an unacceptable level.”
Figures provided by police on the number of drink-driving incidents in the area showed the offences had declined in recent years, with 105 drink-drivers detected in Scarborough in 2013, compared with 137 in 2012.
But Mr Minchin said trends in assault and antisocial behaviour rates would need to be closely monitored.
“It would of course be undesirable for the level of alcohol-related harm in the area to return to the historic highs that beset the Scarborough beachfront in the past,” he said.
The Local Shack owner Brad Wright said strong support from patrons but also other local businesses was helping to transform Scarborough and rid it of its violent past.
He said he felt the area was now close to saturation point with venues that were able to serve alcohol, and the multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the area, in particular the plan for dozens more restaurants and bars, was unnecessary and unjustified.
“We are the ones who turned Scarborough around and why isn’t there consultation (from the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority) with the local businesses,” Mr Wright said.
“Our businesses live and breathe there every single day, we know what’s going on down there and we speak to the patrons and I think at the moment, it’s perfectly obvious what people want to see down there at the moment.
“I don’t think they want to see more development, they are happy with what’s going on.”
Source: The West Australian, Tayissa Barone, June 15th 2015
