In an unusual move, the organiser of this weekend's Clyde Wine and Food Harvest Festival has appealed decisions granting one special liquor licence for the event but declining another.
However, the festival on Sunday will go ahead as planned, as the organiser, Promote Dunstan, has been granted the special licence needed to sell alcohol on-site.
''We were delighted to have the licence but the new liquor laws are confusing for wine or beer festivals around the country and an appeal is the only way to get some clarity for everyone,'' festival organiser and Promote Dunstan secretary Louise Joyce said.
The organisation applied to the newly formed Central Otago District Licensing Committee on behalf of festival stallholders for special licences for both on-site sales (wine tastings) and off-site sales (bottles of wine to take away).
The hearing was held a fortnight ago and a blanket licence was granted for on-site sales but declined for off-site sales.
Stallholders would have to apply for their own individual special licences for off-site sales, the licensing committee said.
They were the first special licence applications heard by the committee and the decision said Promote Dunstan could not claim the alcohol being sold was ''theirs'', so it did not meet the criteria to hold an off-site special licence.
In past years, the Liquor Licensing Authority has issued one licence to Promote Dunstan to cover both on and off-site sales.
Ms Joyce said some local licensing committees were allowing event organisers to take responsibility for alcohol sales while others were not.
Under the new alcohol laws, the authority became the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority and its primary role is to consider appeals such as the one lodged by Promote Dunstan.
