Pub fee pain spreads

Alex de Vos
The region’s country pubs are up in arms over “ridiculous” liquor licensing fee increases aimed at stopping alcohol-fuelled violence.
Meredith Hotel’s Caz Hearn was “shocked” and “outraged” when State Government hit her “little family-run hotel” with a $3000 bill, more than triple the previous licensing fee.
She believed the licensing changes were hitting family-run country hotels the hardest despite the Government introducing the laws in response to alcohol-fuelled violence in Central Melbourne.
“I don’t know how they expect us to survive,” Ms Hearn said.
“I mean, if you’re Crown Casio and you’re turning over a lot of money it doesn’t matter but for a little country pub like us it’s ridiculous.”
Ms Hearn said she had been “under the impression” the Government would exclude country pubs from the fee hike.
“I was quite shocked when I got the renewal notice,” she said.
“We don’t make that much money because we’re in a small country town.”
Jo Plummer, an owner of Batesford’s Dog Rocks Hotel, also slammed the fee hike.
“It’s really going to hit the bottom line – our margins are so small because we’re only a small player.”
Ms Plummer accused the Government of leaving country publicans in the dark over the changes, which should only have affected Melbourne’s pub and club scene.
“We don’t have any trouble here like they do in Melbourne and we’re all being punished for the same thing,” she said,
“They (the Government) haven’t explained their theory to us or sent us a letter about why the fees have increased.
“I just don’t understand how tripling liquor fees is going to help.”
Last month the Independent revealed that the new licensing laws were threatening Geelong’s live music scene.
Venue owners said the fee hike would force 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 fees covered the “real” cost of regulating licensed venues.
“Before the new fees were introduced, there was a significant shortfall between the revenue generated by fees and the actual cost of regulating and policing licensed venues.”