Plan to extend alcohol ban area during festival

The Central Otago District Council looks set to extend alcohol bans in the region during the blossom festival, as police say the event itself causes them little issue but the drinking around it is a "heat source" for trouble.

Last December, the council proposed to increase the areas covered by an alcohol ban.

As well as having bans on the towns of Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell it also wanted to place a ban on the Teviot Valley to the council border at Raes Junction.

The council has sought comment on its proposal and is set to confirm the new policy at a council meeting next week.

In a submission, Senior Sergeant Clint Wright, of Alexandra, said the current bylaws, dates and times were appropriate but had limitations.

"The new additions provide further tools to be able to enforce bylaws, control disorder and undesirable behaviours," he said.

He said the festival was run very well and had made incremental improvements every year around safety and alcohol-related compliance.

"The festival itself is minimal demand for local police however the hoard of vehicle enthusiasts and intoxicated passengers coming from Dunedin, Balclutha, Gore and Invercargill is still a significant heat source for Otago Lakes police."

He said extending the ban to the Teviot Valley would enable police to enforce rules around the consumption of alcohol and choke points in the Teviot Valley’s townships, on the Roxburgh Dam and other areas of concern.

He said the proposed changes were not overly restrictive but were "prudent and provide further tools to rectify behaviours which rightly upset our locals".

The proposal was to also extend the ban to the Merino Shears weekend, which happened a few weeks after the blossom festival. The centre of the blossom festival event is usually in the last weekend of September.

Snr Sgt Wright said over the last couple of years, there had been a rise in alcohol-related offending around the Merino Shears event and two years ago, police had to form a skirmish line to move on a large number of intoxicated patrons.

The council also proposed to continue with its liquor ban in certain areas over the Christmas-New Year period.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora also supported the liquor ban as did Hospitality New Zealand.