Christchurch pub patrons will face earlier nights from next month when a one-way door policy is brought back an hour.
The policy — in which no new patrons are allowed in and anybody leaving is not allowed back after a particular time — was introduced to about 50 of Christchurch’s central city bars two years ago, with a 4am cut off time.
Now the cut off time is being brought back to 3am, from November 3.
Alcohol Accord Management Committee chairman Peter Morrison said there was strong evidence a one-way policy at 3am would help to further reduce crime and violence.
“Statistics show that at 3am a one-way door can help to reduce total offences by 20 per cent, where at 4am the one-way door is only capturing 11 per cent of crime and violence.”
Morrison said the industry was showing a high level of social responsibility with the change, ensuring it was doing whatever was necessary to minimise the community risks associated with alcohol.
“While on-premise sales only account for 27 per cent of liquor consumption in New Zealand and there is a real problem with alcohol being made too readily available at cheap prices through supermarkets and other off-licences, the hospitality industry does have a role to play,” he said.
anterbury District Police commander superintendent Dave Cliff applauded the move.
“For the police, 3am is our witching hour, the time when inner city crime and violence tends to peak,” he said.
“I’m sure the extra hour will make a significant difference, helping to capture another almost 10 per cent of crime and violence, and I expect we will see much better results in the next 12 months.”
NZPA
