‘Liquor law’ will shut down taverns

Cape Town - 150805 - Pictured is Lick's Tavern. New proposed laws stipulate that liquor outlets must be located at least 500m away from schools, places of worship, recreation facilities, rehabilitation or treatment centres, residential areas and public institutions. The Cape Argus went to speak to tavern owners in Langa. Reporter: Yolisa Tswanya Picture: David Ritchie

Cape Town - 150805 - Pictured is Lick's Tavern. New proposed laws stipulate that liquor outlets must be located at least 500m away from schools, places of worship, recreation facilities, rehabilitation or treatment centres, residential areas and public institutions. The Cape Argus went to speak to tavern owners in Langa. Reporter: Yolisa Tswanya Picture: David Ritchie

Published Aug 6, 2015

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Cape Town - Located near a school and a church, a tavern owner in Langa could be in trouble should a proposal to have liquor outlets more than 500 metres away from such institutions be signed into law.

Lick’s Tavern is across the road from a Methodist Church and less than 500m from a high school in the area.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s (dti) national liquor policy is open for public comment until next Thursday, and one of the proposals in the policy recommends that liquor establishments be located at least 500m away from schools, places of worship, recreational facilities, rehabilitation or treatment centres, residential areas and public institutions.

Lick’s Tavern owner Nomfundo Mavata said she had never had any problems with nearby schools or churches.

“The tavern is also my home. Downstairs I have my business and the school children know that they are not allowed on my premises. The children are not the problem. The thugs are the ones who cause trouble.”

Mavata said she and her late husband opened the tavern in the 1970s and she has observed how the laws have changed.

“At first we were allowed to be open for 24 hours a day and now the licence stipulates that we must be closed by midnight.”

She said the church across the street from her establishment has also never had any problems with her establishment.

“I use the money I make here to pay for my children’s school fees. If I am forced to close, what will happen to my children?”

Thami Situlweni, who works at Styles Tavern, said a change in laws would not have an effect on alcohol abuse.

“If people want to drink they will still drink, but I think it will destroy our business. Where else would we go? Our licence is for this location.”

She added Styles Tavern also had no problems with the school in the area and made sure children, particularly school-going children, did not enter the establishment.

Free Market Foundation executive director, Leon Louw, called the proposal “ill-considered, unjust, inconvenient, and unfair to the poor”.

“It would drive most retail licensees out of business, particularly where no or insufficient premises are zoned for entertainment or liquor trading, or are far from customers. Relocating pubs and taverns far from public transport so patrons have to drive there and back would increase the incidence of drunk driving.”

The proposals also state that if a licence is already in use it would be terminated within two years after the law is implemented.

Louw said while the townships would be hardest-hit, liquor outlets all over the country would be affected.

“It is not clear why there should be no liquor retail outlets within half a kilometre of a place of worship. Are worshippers especially prone to alcohol abuse? Will it affect the use of sacramental wine in Catholic churches?”

Western Cape MEC for Economic Opportunities Alan Winde said that in some small towns and dense suburbs, imposing a 500m limit would result in the closure of many businesses.

“In the city, in Long Street for instance, restaurants and pubs operate in close proximity to mosques and churches.

“It was decided that the Western Cape legislation would not contain a limiting distance, but would include a strong public comment process via the local councillor and other planning processes for use by interested and affected residents and establishments.”

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