Hikes hit local pubs

Jessica Benton
Liquor licensing fee hikes to cut down on alcohol-fuelled violence have hit Bellarine Peninsula hotels the hardest, according to owners.
Publicans say they will have to pay thousands of dollars more for licensing or close earlier to satisfy the new rules, which State Government introduced in response to violence at Melbourne venues.
Portarlington’s Grand Hotel owner, Grant Hutchins, said the “heavy-handed” new State Government laws were killing traditional Australian pubs.
“This is the nail in the coffin for the local Aussie pub,” he said.
“These laws are ripping the guts out of our businesses.
“It’s utterly absurd that the whole industry has been changed because of the activity in Melbourne’s nightclub scene.”
Mr Hutchins said the new laws’ “extreme” fee hikes had forced his venue to shut two hours earlier at 1am.
He labelled the laws unfair because licensed restaurants escaped the fee hikes despite competing with hotels for business.
Stephen Wilson, who owns Queenscliff’s Royal Hotel said he had to pay an extra $2000 because his venue stayed open after 11pm.
“Because I’m licensed until midnight I have to pay an extra $2000,” he said.
“Unless you want to redeem or give up that extra hour, you have to pay for it.”
Mr Wilson said the laws unfairly categorised venues based on size and patron capacity.
“Because we’re licensed for 700 people we get lumbered in the larger venue category but we’re mainly a family restaurant and function venue,” he said.
“It’s a shame because we’re not a nightclub or a young person’s venue but because we trade after 11pm we have to pay for it.”
Other hotels around the region have also reported anger at the fee hike.
Earlier this year, the Independent revealed the new licensing laws were threatening Geelong’s live music scene.
Licensees said the laws’ licence fee hike lumped their venues with dangerous Melbourne clubs, forcing them to cut back on bands.
However, Liquor Licensing Victoria later confirmed licensees could apply to have their late-night conditions assessed on an “individual-basis”.
A spokesperson for Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson said the new liquor license fees would cover the “real” cost of policing and regulating licensed venues across Victoria.