The public will not be allowed to bring their own alcohol to the biggest racing fixture south of the Waitaki River this year.
Gallop South decided last week, on advice from police and the district liquor licensing agency, to ban BYO alcohol at the November 4 Melbourne Cup Day event at Wingatui, in a move to better control alcohol consumption among the 8000 people attending the event.
Gallop South assistant chief executive Malcolm Little said people previously were able to bring and consume their own alcohol in a designated area of the course south of the birdcage.
But, for the first time, BYO would be banned this year. Instead, they would have to buy alcohol from stalls and marquees set up on course.
Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector Tony Mole said Melbourne Cup Day was the only Gallop South meet so far where BYO alcohol was identified as an issue, following some reports of extreme intoxication and large amounts of alcohol being "smuggled in" to the designated area in recent years.
Enough alcohol was available at the event, making BYO unnecessary, he said.
"This [the BYO area] was an area that was generally open slather. It was messy."
The District Licensing Agency did not have any issue with family race meetings, but hoped Gallop South would eventually make the BYO ban, and the contracts it had with marquee operators to provide food and take responsibility for their patrons, a region-wide strategy for other major racing events.
Mr Little said he expected some people would be disappointed with the decision.
"But, sadly, it's a sign of the times," he said.
The number of people using the BYO area for picnics or "boot parties" at the Melbourne Cup Day had dwindled in the past few years, with people preferring to use the corporate, sponsored or syndicated marquees nearer to the race track.
He expected other large meets would eventually ban BYO alcohol, but any changes would be made slowly, Mr Little said.
