Melbourne's Small Bars Will Soon Be Able to Serve Booze After 1am

Socially awkward booze-hounds rejoice! After July, small Melburnian venues with a capacity of 200 or less will be able to apply for exemptions allowing them to serve alcohol past the previously instated 1am cut-off. For those of us who hate the throng of big crowds and waiting in line for hours to get served, our teeny, tiny hole in the wall bars just got that much more appealing.

Eligible venues will also need to either offer live music (yes), serve food at all times (double yes) or offer accommodation (yes to the power of infinity). So petite venues with food, live music and accommodation are now able to offer booze into the wee hours, as if we needed more reason to stay out all night at our favourite small bars. The Labor Government is also going to temporarily loosen the freeze around important cultural events like New Year’s Eve and sporting events.

Liquor regulation minister Jane Garrett says the original freeze on liquor sales past 1am was intended to reduce alcohol-fuelled violence but research shows small venues are in a low-risk category for this type of behaviour. It’s a positive step towards a more nuanced liquor licensing system that creates variety for revellers, and more importantly, a reasonable response to concerns that the freeze and lockout laws are hurting Melbourne’s entertainment industry.

We just pray this doesn’t mean post-1am lines around the block for dinky venues where the booze is still running.

Via The Age.

Image: Union Electric.