The chairman of a Dunedin rugby club say he feels exonerated after a committee found there is no evidence he or his club were breaking any liquor licensing laws.
Pirates Rugby Football Club has had its alcohol licence renewed by the Dunedin district licensing committee after the application was challenged by Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector Tony Mole.
A hearing on the matter was held last month.
Caversham Football Club now used the rugby club's Hancock Park facilities, and so they could use the bar after games, the club's members had become associate Pirates members.
Mr Mole argued there needed to be a reciprocal agreement with other clubs, if opposing players and supporters were using the club, so they did not have to be accompanied by a Caversham member.
Under section 60 of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, sports clubs are able to sell alcohol to their members, accompanied guests (supporters) and authorised visitors (those with reciprocal agreements).
During the hearing Mr Mole said he would expect accompaniment to include a member following their guest to the bar if they wanted to buy a drink.
Pirates chairman Kelvin Tranior argued Caversham members were able to invite opposing players and supporters into the club rooms and reciprocal agreements were difficult to enforce, and not all clubs had their own facilities.
The licensing committee, made up of chairman Colin Lind, David Benson-Pope and Mike Lord granted the renewal and added a condition to allow authorised guests to invite their own guests.
In its decision the committee said there was no evidence which suggested the club had broken the Act by serving guests not accompanied by a member.
Mr Tranior said the decision had come as a great relief after what was a difficult six months.
"I'm feeling very exonerated - it shows there's no evidence I wasn't a fit and proper person.''
While pleased the committee had granted the renewal and had inserted the condition, he felt the club had been unfairly targeted.
"It's taken about six months off my life and for what? I really don't know why we had to do all this.''
Mr Mole did not want to comment on the decision when contacted yesterday.
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Comments
I've said it before but here goes again. Mr Mole and his police counterpart have become far too extreme in their interpretation of alcohol laws. He needs to be redeployed into some other role while he re-equates himself with community expectations, not just extremist anti alcohol views.