Ashburton booze rules described as ‘fair and firm’ amid calls for change

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:

Health experts are calling on councils to set tougher restrictions on alcohol sales to reduce potential harm, including cutting the hours that booze can be sold.

But Ashburton District’s recently updated restrictions are “fair and firm”, the council says.

Ashburton's bars, restaurants and taverns can sell alcohol until 2am, while supermarkets and bottle stores can sell booze until 9.30pm.

Health Coalition Aotearoa alcohol expert panel co-chairperson Steve Randerson has called for local leaders to curb the availability of alcohol.

Currently, the combined opening hours of bars, bottle stores and supermarkets allow people to buy alcohol 21 hours a day in some regions.

“If you can reduce the hours, you can then reduce the harm,” Randerson said.

The Ashburton District Council reviewed its local alcohol policy last year, and won’t review it again until 2029.

Compliance and development group manager Ian Hyde said the council went through a robust process to ensure the restrictions were strong enough and met community expectations.

“Given the high level of engagement from the community during consultation in 2023 that fed into the development of the policy, we believe it is fair and firm in addressing local alcohol matters.”

The consultation received 42 submissions and seven submitters spoke at the public hearing in August last year.

The council amended the policy, aligning the cut-off time for licensed footpath areas with the one-way door restriction. A further 32 submissions were received, with three submitters speaking at a hearing in November.

The policy was adopted in December and the new trading hours and the district-wide 1am one-way door restriction came into effect on March 14.

Randerson commended the Ashburton council for having limits shorter than the national trading hours in its policy.

“There is room to do more but it does need to come down to local circumstances.

“It’s important that their policies are consulted upon and reflect what the community is witnessing and calling for.”

Hyde said there are 117 licensed premises in the Ashburton District, and of those, there are 22 in the Ashburton CBD.

The policy sets specific maximum hours of operation for premises.

Taverns, including hotel bars, can sell and supply alcohol from 7am until 2am, but the footpath areas close at 1am, with restaurants and cafes trading hours capped at 1am.

Off-licensed premises, bottle stores and supermarkets, have a cut-off time of 9.30pm.

The policy also states that the District Licensing Committee has the discretion to set more restrictive maximum trading hours than prescribed in the LAP.

The council also adopted an updated alcohol control bylaw last year, which extended the liquor ban areas in Ashburton and Methven.