Multiple pubs were forced to temporarily close this week as local authorities started enforcing the new liquor by-law. Grahamstown’s early morning drinking days are finally over.
Multiple pubs were forced to temporarily close this week as local authorities started enforcing the new liquor by-law. Grahamstown’s early morning drinking days are finally over.
For the past five years there has been ongoing dispute regarding the new liquor by-law that regulates the hours alcohol can be sold in town. In 2005 a court case began between pub owners and the municipality.
The end result was that the by-law, which is determined by each municipality, was withdrawn temporarily and had to be revised before it could be implemented.
Last year an agreement was finally reached between the pub owners and the municipality, but the by-law still had to be sent off to Bhisho to be approved and published by the provincial government. It was published on 28 April this year in the Provincial government gazette.
Yet the pub owners weren’t informed of this and continued serving alcohol past the designated times.
Mynhardt van Dyk, owner of Equilibrium (as well as The Rat & Parrot and Olde 65), said that on 4.30 on Sunday morning he got a phone call informing him that the police had shown up at his club, wanting to close it down because alcohol was being served after 2am.
Van Dyk said he was unaware that the by-law had been published but "to keep the good graces" he shut EQ down for the night. No fine was imposed and, contrary to the rumours, Equilibrium is still open for business.
Van Dyk says it’s important to understand that just because alcohol can’t be served past a certain time, does not mean the club has to close its doors earlier. "Obviously there will be a change in how we do things," he said.
"Students will be the most affected, especially with the public holiday and Sunday drinking times ending at 10pm."
On Monday night, Pirates Pizza, with their newly acquired liquor licence, also had a run-in with the new by-law and was shut down for serving alcohol after hours.
The police showed up at 12am on the dot to confront them, said Geoff Waugh, owner of Pirates. No fine was imposed but they were warned that if they do not stick to the regulations in the future, there would be.
Club 046 was also temporarily closed recently for violating serving hours. By the time Grocott’s Mail went to print, however, the Liquor Board had been unable to provide a complete list of venues that had contravened this law.
The by-law states that the times for restaurants, pubs, night clubs, taverns and shebeens has been reduced to 11:00 – 24:00 from Monday to Thursday, 10.pm – 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11am – 10pm on Sundays and public holidays.
