Bar owner takes parting shot at alcohol accord
BY JARED SMITH
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Grumpy Mole owner Euan Means is shutting his doors, but not before speaking out against favouritism and inconsistency in the New Plymouth Alcohol Accord.
The New Plymouth bar will close at the end of March, as Mr Means said the cost of renovations was too expensive, coupled with the $150,000 in rent and rates he must pay annually for the premises.
Mr Means said after six months of trying to renegotiate a new price with the landowner, he was now looking at other locations in New Plymouth.
The Grumpy Mole was the notable signature absent from this month's alcohol accord signed by eight bar licensees at New Plymouth District Council, alongside NPDC, police, and the Taranaki District Health Board.
Features of the accord include patrons kicked out of one pub being barred from others for the rest for the evening, and monthly meetings by the owners to discuss issues with authorities.
Mr Means said he refused to sign because of frustrating inconsistencies, which saw authorities target some bars for not following accord guidelines, while problems at others were ignored.
"We may as well say it now – it's something that needs to be said.
"The accord is worthless because publicans have written down things, hoping it's what police and DLA [District Licensing Agency] want to hear.
"The issues are publicans are too scared to speak their mind. Publicans signed to keep running the way they want to.
"I have spoken to publicans here that feel like this accord is a bit of a joke – too many blind eyes to certain outlets."
Mr Means said one popular bar at the southern end of the central business district had no "Bar Safe" staff on duty, and a large encroachment area on the footpath.
He recalled the case where a man was convicted in district court of an assault just outside the Grumpy Mole on January 16.
Mr Means said the man had walked down to his establishment after drinking for seven hours at another bar, and after his conviction he was back at that bar, drinking again.
The man was recalled to court this week for another assault in the CBD, and admitted he had a drinking problem.
Mr Means said that bar also had issues with letting in underage drinkers on busy nights, yet authorities had not acted. Meanwhile, the Grumpy Mole received one verbal notice from police and the DLA for a perceived infraction which, although not substantiated, police said they were willing to act on.
While the accord was a good idea in general, he believed other publicans would pull out unless there was consistency.
Accord chairman Doc Van Praagh, co-owner of Crowded House, said the accord had only just formed, so people had to give it a chance.
"I've got to stick up for it, don't I? We haven't even given it a go yet – how can you tell? I'm sure some may pull out, but hopefully they don't.
"I think people who are in the accord won't get singled out. What they're [police, DLA] saying is work with them. They'll work with us, not against."
Mr Van Praagh said if authorities were singling out Grumpy, then it must have had a problem, although he had not heard that there was.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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