Controlled liquor purchase operation
Five Golden Bay liquor outlets were caught in a recent controlled purchase operation.
Two volunteers aged 16 and 17 visited Golden Bay’s outlets on Friday 25 June. One was easily identified as being under age while the other looked much older. In five of the premises (The Wholemeal Café, the Junction Hotel and bottle store, Liquorland, and the River Inn) they were asked for ID and, when they could not supply it, were refused service. The five premises where the volunteers were served were the Telegraph Hotel, the Roots Bar, the Brigand Café, the Mussel Inn and the Collingwood Tavern.
The penalties for these breaches of the Sale of Liquor Act will affect the businesses concerned. They will have to cease trading for a 24-hour period on a Friday later in the year, and the managers on duty at the time of the purchases will have their licences suspended for four weeks. Police and District Licensing Agencies have had follow-up discussions with the managers and staff concerned, but rumours of large fines are incorrect according to the Police.
Acting alcohol harm reduction officer for the Nelson Police, Sergeant Steve Savage, said that the results were “extremely disappointing”.
He explained that the liquor licensing guidelines suggest that anyone appearing to be under 25 should be asked to show their ID as part of a premise’s system to prevent under-age peope from obtaining alcohol illegally.
“Controlled purchase operations are there to test the robustness of systems. It’s all about making it harder for under-age people to get alcohol. While it was disappointing that five premises served the volunteers we’ve been encouraged by the response since the operation,” said Sgt Savage. “Most of the managers and staff were genuinely gutted and some premises have taken huge steps straight away to make sure they don’t fail future controlled-buying operations.”
Sgt Savage also said that younger drinkers these days are “really good about ID.”
“They expect to be asked so it’s not that big a deal.”
One licensee whose business failed the operation said that it was “a big wake-up call.”
“The guidelines and rules are very clear. We’re working right now to tighten our systems. People in their early 20s better start carrying ID, because that’s the way it has to be from now on.”
Neil Wilson
