Social Changes From Later Closing

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31523, 10 November 1967, Page 1

Social Changes From Later Closing

The introduction of 10 p.m. closing for bars has caused some changes in Christchurch which affect most residents.

Since October 9 there has been a drop in road accidents between 6 p.m. and 7.30 p.m This is particularly noticeable to doctors on casualty duty ambulance drivers, traffic officers and police on Friday and Saturday evenings. Before 10 p.m. closing ambulance drivers and hospital orderlies accepted that there would be at least two, and often more calls to road accidents in Christchurch on Friday and Saturday evenings Usually some of those involved in the accidents beI tween 6 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. I had been drinking. Since I October 9, the Friday and j Saturday evenings have been |“startingly quiet . . .”

according to one ambulance driver.

Doctors, ambulance drivers, traffic officers, hospital orderlies and police on motor accident inquiries have been comparing notes. At first they thought the change might be a flash in the pan, but the pattern has been the same for the last four week-ends. There has been no increase in road accidents between 9.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Traffic authorities have observed a thinning of traffic between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. and this is a considerable factor in reducing the risk of accidents.

Police hotel inspection patrols have observed that there is much less tension and bustle in hotel bars at 6 p.m. The rush to down drinks by those who could not get to hotels until after 5 p.m. and I could not buy drinks after 6 p.m. is fading. I The police believe that this Tension as much as drinking (too much led to road acci-

dents and general anti-social behaviour by some drinkers. Hotel-keepers consider the behaviour of drinkers has improved. The number of drinkers in bars between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. is falling slightly but drinkers are not all leaving at the same time. This is noticeable on Friday nights, in both the city and suburbs.

Publicans questioned agreed that better behaviour could be attributed to the end of the rush and tension imposed by compulsory 6 p.m. closing. Licensees of suburban hotels, especially have noticed that many patrons arrive after having been home for a meal.

The greater variation in times of departure from hotels is having a marked effect on the business of shops near hotels, and an increasing effect on other shops. Fish and chip shops and petrol stations neur hotels notice the absence of a rush hour between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m They are getting the same

volume of trade, if not more, spread over two or three hours.

Petrol stations are receiving new business from persons who visit suburban hotels. Shop owners note that many of their staff are pleased to have a drink before going home after late closing. In New Brighton the Saturday evening shopping and later bar closing make traffic even heavier. The two hotels have much more custom and shopkeepers have slightly more incidental trade. The New Brighton police have found no extra work and have noticed a reduction in road accidents in the evenings. The police have been called to fewer fights and disturbances in hotels since 10 p.m. closing, and have made no change in shifts to deal with disorderly behaviour or afterhours drinking. No hotel in Christchurch has been prosecuted for afterhours trading since October 9. The police view is that

after licensees and barmen have been working for 11 hours they are ready to shut. The police and licensees expect that the Court will punish severely licensing offences. New Zealand Breweries, Ltd, which supplies almost all hotels in Christchurch, is selling more beer than it did before 10 p.m. closing. Most hotels, but especially suburban hotels and those chasing custom, are selling more beer. There has been a slight increase in the sale of spirits, but the sale of bottled beer and flagons has dropped. The 6 p.m. rush on bottle stores has gone but drive-in bottle stores at hotels are still popular. More beer and spirits are being drunk in Christchurch than before 10 p.m. closing, but the police report no increase or decrease in cases of drunkeness. However, the police are finding less trouble caused by those who have had too much to

drink but are not drunk. There has been no change in the number of domestic disputes the police are called to and no change in the pattern of calls. Brewery and hotel spokesmen do not think much more liquor will be sold because of later closing “after things have settled down.” However, they agree that hotels offering the best facilities and most attractions in entertainment will be the most profitable.

Because there are 37 hotels within the belts and the population is declining as more houses are taken over for commerce or demolished to make way for industry, competition among taverns and hotels in the city will be strong. The licensed trade admits that it will be a fight in which the best will survive. The demands of the Licensing Commission are intensified by increasing competition and capital expenditure in some city hotels is heavy.