Former councillor Norman Elder says Wachner Place bar would send 'mixed signals'

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt at Wachner Place in Invercargill. (file photo).

Former Invercargill City councillor Norman Elder says a bar at Wachner Place would go against the council's own CBD liquor ban and send mixed signals to the community.

The Invercargill Licensing Trust has asked the Invercargill City Council if it can build and operate a container bar out of Wachner Place while its new hotel in the city CBD is built.

At a council meeting in December, council indicated support for the concept, 'generally'.

Councillors Allan Arnold, Lesley Soper, and Lloyd Esler voted against the motion, while Darren Ludlow, Lindsay Abbott, and Rebecca Amundsen abstained from voting because they are members of the district licensing committee.

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At this week's council meeting, as part of the public forum, Elder, a lawyer, raised concerns about the proposal on the behalf of some Invercargill citizens.

'I am representing three concerned citizens of Invercargill who are not able to disclose their identity at this stage, but they are prepared to do that if this process continues down the track,' he said.

Elder said they did not believe an area that 'had reserve status, protected for public access' should be used for a bar.

There was concern it would go against the liquor ban which was already in place in public areas in central Invercargill, Elder said.

'It would send mixed signals to the community if the council operate this ban in the inner city and then allows a container bar in prime public space.'

Elder believed it would need to be put out to public consultation and he encouraged council to look at introducing an independent commissioner when making the decision.

'Given there possible personal and political interests between the ILT and the council, I think it would be better for the council to use a commissioner for this purpose,' he said.

Invercargill resident June Trotter also spoke against the proposed Wachner Place bar at Tuesday's meeting.

'I am alarmed that a proposal by the Invercargill Licensing Trust to put a container bar on Wachner Place is even being considered by the city council,' Trotter said.

'This is our only significant public open space in the centre of our city and part of it is reserve land.'