Licencees Unable To Entertain In Bars

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30302, 30 November 1963, Page 16

Licencees Unable To Entertain In Bars

The Licensing Control Commision has disallowed appeals by Mr K. B. Fowke, manager of the Zetland Hotel, and Mr R I. Moffat, manager of the Carlton Hotel, against a decision refusing them tlie use of a bar for the purposes of entertaining their bona fide guests. In each decision, the commission was particularly concerned with the availability of alternative rooms m which a licensee could receive his guests. Referring to the Carlton,

the decision says: “We are aware that there are small and old hotel* where there is simply no accommodation for the hotel keeper but the family bedroom, the kitchen and the public lounge or bar The legislation is designed to enable such hotel keepers to receive their guests in public rooms. Doubtless they and their guests are accustomed to such conditions. ‘“But hotels of the status and earning capacity of the Carlton are not entitled to claim that they can do nothing better than that for their manager. In our view there is a room available in the Carlton and suitable for the purpose. "If the manager has to use the room for other purposes, that is his affair and he will just have to deny himself the pleasure of guests —if he wishes to provide them with liquor." The decision on the Zetland Hotel dealt with a room that was available but was claimed to be unsuitable, because of its inconvenient situation and the use of the room by two young children. "There must be thousands of married couples in New Zealand who have children and who have but one room where the children may play or do their homework and where the adults must also sit and entertain the.r friends. Not only is it not unusual, it is not undesirable,” the decision says. “It is certainly not a sufficient reason, in our view, why the hotel keeper should be granted the special right of taking his guests to a bar room to entertain them.” Tie commission consists of Major-General Sir William Gentry. Mr S. T. Barnett i chairman! and Mr N. Butcher.