Drunken louts 'will hurt city's image'

REACHING LIMITS: The council is proposing adding Aro Valley to Wellington city???s liquor control area.

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Boozed-up hooligans are causing havoc on Wellington's streets and putting the city's international reputation at risk, Mayor Kerry Prendergast says.

Her comments came at a council meeting yesterday, at which the strategy and policy committee considered the adoption of a 24/7 liquor ban for the central city.

Wellington is the only New Zealand metropolitan city yet to adopt a round-the-clock ban.

"We are at the tipping point where we could see our reputation damaged," Ms Prendergast said.

"The perception of safety in our city is dropping. There is an increase in disorderly behaviour, intimidating behaviour, graffiti and litter.

"You could say we are the last to get on the bus and look at this."

Police figures for 2007 show there were more than 600 reported violence offences in central Wellington, and more than 450 disorder offences – of which 92 per cent were alcohol-related.

The peak hours for criminal offending in Wellington were between 10pm and 6am on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Cuba St and Courtenay Place were both gaining unsavoury reputations for out-of-control drunks causing chaos.

The areas have been joined by Aro Park, next to the community centre and creche in Aro Valley, which has been identified as another drinking hot spot. Police have been called to the park after people were threatened by drunken thugs.

The council has considered a raft of ban proposals, including its preferred option to include Aro Valley in a 24/7 ban, which would join Wellington central, Oriental Pde and the Mt Victoria lookout, which already have a partial ban on some days.

Members of the public can give their views during a month-long consultation period starting in early April.

Cuba St was cited as the most common place for the public consumption of alcohol, with just over 50 incidents noted by Walkwise officers in the five months till March 11.

That is about twice the number recorded at second-placed Glover Park, off Ghuznee St.

A petition from 113 retailers in Cuba St was presented to the council in February requesting a 24/7 ban in the area.

Group spokesman Chris Gray told the council yesterday that the situation in the Cuba quarter was "a circus".

"People are urinating against restaurant windows while people sit and eat. Owners can't get into their own shops because people are lying across the doorways."

The problems are caused by drunk night-time revellers as well as the alcoholic homeless that congregate in the area during the day.

Mr Gray said Cuba St had become the "Melbourne of New Zealand" and urged the council to protect the area's growing reputation.

A ban is just one measure being considered by the council as it strives to cut booze-related crime and anti-social behaviour.

Other measures include eight new CCTV security cameras, more Walkwise officers and more community police.

A comprehensive evaluation of the extended booze-ban bylaw would be undertaken and reported back to the council in late 2009.