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READER REPORT:

Kiwi booze culture: Bars must close earlier

DOUG HANNAN

Last updated 05:00 02/02/2013

During my life the closing time pendulum has swung from dusk and the 6 o'clock swill, all the way over to dawn. I think it needs to swing back a bit.

Here in New Plymouth few bars have many patrons until about midnight, then a deluge of drunks descend on the town and chaos ensues.

If I was John Key I would pull closing time back to 2am.

Bars would protest, but I believe they would actually do better if people arrived earlier and less intoxicated.

The argument that we need longer hours to appear more "world class" to tourists has proven to be a cruel joke, given the disgusting scenes that play out on our streets every weekend.

Some time ago we were given the freedom to drink in bars until 4am and even beyond. It has now been shown, unfortunately, that this is a freedom that we cannot responsibly handle.

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