New Group aims to extend niteclub opening hours

national | arts and media | press release

Wednesday May 24, 2006 18:58

by DJ Welfare - Anarcho-Vinyulators

Time to modernise our opening hours in line with the rest of Europe

A system of sequenced closing times for licensed premises in Ireland is long overdue and is respected worldwide as a concept, which facilitates the steady and orderly flow of people leaving licensed establishments throughout the night.

Put simply, sequenced closing times means that pubs, restaurants, late bars and nightclubs all close progressively later than each other.

Let 'em spin til 6am!

Give US The Night believe that Ireland should operate a nationwide system of sequential closing times. Give Us The Night recommends abolishing the fixed and artificially early closing times which we believe encourage binge-drinking and result in large numbers of people appearing on the streets simultaneously, in turn causing the Gardaí enormous difficulties.
Bars and nightclubs could close at agreed, graduated times throughout the night, thereby encouraging a safer environment on the streets in the early hours; making the flow of people easier to accommodate for policing, hospital and food/service workers, and easing the strain on the transport services. These times would be agreed by a combination of the Gardaí, local authorities or indeed any interested party (such as a local resident).
GUTN feelS that the main cause for public order and alcohol-related offences late at night in Ireland is the sudden and simultaneous appearance of large groups of people on the streets from late bars and nightclubs, all looking for the same taxi, public transport and fast-food facility at the same time.

If there are incidents late at night, the same over-stretched hospital and policing resources are required within the same narrow band of time.

A system of sequenced closing times for licensed premises in Ireland is long overdue and is respected worldwide as a concept, which facilitates the steady and orderly flow of people leaving licensed establishments throughout the night.

Put simply, sequenced closing times means that pubs, restaurants, late bars and nightclubs all close progressively later than each other.

Example:

• Pubs - stop serving alcohol 12 am
Close completely at 12.30 am

• Late Bars - stop serving alcohol at 1.30 am
Close completely at 2 am

• Nightclub Type 1
Stop serving alcohol at 3 am, close completely at 4 am

• Nightclub Type 2
Stop serving alcohol at 4.30 am, close completely at 5.30 am

These are just suggested guidelines.

With this system in place, pressure on taxis and fast-food outlets is managed and regulated throughout the night.

With co-operation from public transport providers, transport can be co-coordinated in such a way that Nitelink buses meet the gradual flow of people onto the streets at optimum times, while timetables for early buses can be scheduled to meet the final flow.

This system has been proven to be beneficial in countries such as New Zealand, Australia and Canada. It is worthwhile mentioning that the UK has recently embraced twenty four-hour opening.
Given the cultural similarities, attitudes to alcohol and record of late night public order offences shared by the UK and Ireland, it should be possible for Ireland to follow the precedent set by the UK and extend nightclub closing times so as to reduce public order offences and benefit tourism.

[2]
The Introduction Of A Specific Nightclub Licence Subject To A Rigorous Code Of Conduct
Ireland’s nightclubs should have their own separate legal identity, as distinct from public houses or ‘dancehalls’ as is the current 1935 legislation. This legislation should reflect the reality of a modern nightclub, improving conditions for those who attend them and workers whose livelihoods are linked to the nightclub industry.

Irish law currently does not recognise the modern nightclub as a legal entity – instead it is considered a licensed premises with a separate ‘dance licence’ issued under the criteria of the Public Dance Hall Act of 1935. At present, nightclub owners must apply monthly for special exemption orders (SEOs) to enable them to open past the existing closing time of 1.30am.

With the stability and security offered to their industry and trade by a legal standing, nightclub owners would in turn be bound to invest further in security measures such as additional security staff and surveillance equipment, putting them in a better position to form partnerships with the Gardai, local authorities and other relevant groups with regard to combining resources, information and ideas with which to tackle the problem of public order offenses.

[3]
6 am Closing
To bring Ireland up to date with the rest of Europe, the country’s nightclubs should be allowed to serve alcohol until at least 3.30 am and stay open until 6 am, with the provision of serving non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee, water, minerals etc.). These opening hours could be decided on a case-by-case basis.

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