Liquor news: The Bon’s new licence, BWS’ expansion plans and ILGA chair visits coast

The Bon’s new pub licence, BWS Bateau Bay’s expansion bid and the Liquor Authority chairman visits the coast. Here’s what’s making news in the alcohol industry on the coast.

Popular high-end restaurant The Bon Pavilion has applied for a pub liquor licence, BWS Bateau Bay is looking to triple its floor stock and Chittaway Bay Hotel hopes to lock in new trading hours — here’s what is happening in the liquor industry on the coast.

THE BON APPLIES FOR PUB LICENCE

The John Singleton backed The Bon Pavilion restaurant in Gosford’s CBD has successfully sought to drop the mandatory food service component of its trading conditions and applied for a fully-fledged hotel licence.

The Bon was originally approved by Central Coast Council as a tavern but was changed to a restaurant liquor licence under a modification of the consent in 2016.

The Bon Pavilion in Gosford has been approved to remove its cafe and extend the bar to increase the night-life options.

The restaurant has been operating since its approval but last month the owners lodged a development application for a change of use and an application for a hotel-general bar licence.

The change will allow patrons to purchase a drink without having to order a meal and will involve the removal of the cafe area, expanding the bar and moving it towards Mann St and reconfiguring the seating.

The hours of operation will remain the same and a “substantial restaurant component will be retained” however under the change The Bon will trial “low-key entertainment” of a DJ, taped music or up to two musicians after dinner on Friday and Saturday nights.

CHITTAWAY TAVERN’S NEW TRADING HOURS

After a successful six-month trial Chittaway Bay Tavern has successfully sought to extend its trading hours from midnight to 1am on Monday to Thursday, 2am on Friday and Saturday and 11pm on Sundays in its gaming room.

Chittaway Tavern has lodged an application to extend its trading hours. Picture: Facebook

Under the new extended hours the pub will also extend its public bar opening hours from midnight to 1am on Friday and Saturdays.

The pub will also open in the morning not before 8am on Monday to Saturday and 10am on Sunday.

BWS BATEAU BAY’S EXPANSION

Beer Wine Spirits store at Bateau Bay Square has lodged an application to more than triple its floor stock and increase its staff.

Under an application lodged with the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority the store wants to increase its stock from 1500 product lines to about 4,000.

BWS has lodged an application to extend its floor stock at its Bateau Bay Square store. (File image)

The current shop employs seven staff including three full-time and four permanent part-time staff, which will be increased to about 15 full and part time staff.

LIQUOR AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN VISITS GOSFORD

The Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority (ILGA) chairman Philip Crawford visited the Central Coast last week as part of a regional engagement strategy involving areas with elevated alcohol and gaming-related harms.

Mr Crawford met a range of stakeholders over two days to understand what matters to the Central Coast when it comes to the impacts of liquor and gaming on crime, health and local industry.

Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority chairman Philip Crawford on the Central Coast last week. Picture: Sue Graham

As at 1 March 2022 there were 567 liquor licences on the Central Coast with 203 authorised to sell packaged liquor; 122 bottle shops; 42 registered club licences; and 39 hotel licences.

At the end of the final quarter for 2021, there were 4,215 gaming machines in the Central Coast local government area.

“There is a higher risk of harm associated with electronic gaming machines than with other types of gambling, so each application to operate or increase gaming machines needs to consider not only how many and how long they are used, but the individual circumstances of each area and venue,” Mr Crawford said.

“The Central Coast has some challenges with alcohol and gaming harms and it is incumbent that the Authority understands the demographic and makes decisions that strike the right balance.”