Camden Liquor Accord borrows soccer concept to sideline drunks
Camden is giving the red card to drunken ‘galahs’, launching a state-first initiative to proactively remove intoxicated patrons before things get out of hand.
Camden is giving the red card to drunken ‘galahs’, launching a state-first initiative to proactively remove intoxicated patrons before things get out of hand.
The novel concept, borrowed from soccer, will see bar staff and security guards act as referees with the power to issue a ‘red card’ to drunk patrons, sidelining them from all of Camden’s licensed venues for six hours.
Camden Liquor Accord president Steve Wisbey OAM said the concept was to ensure the community could have fun and feel safe in the area’s licensed venues.
“We don’t want any galahs out there making people feel uncomfortable,” he said.
“The concept really is a proactive approach. It’s the same system as the old ejection but before it gets to that point — before anyone swings a punch or throws a glass.
“To borrow a sporting phrase, we want people to play hard, have a great night on the paddock and not be sent off because you are a goose.”
Although the Camden area is not notorious for anti-social behaviour, two local venues have featured on the NSW violent venues list in recent years.
Just this weekend, police were on hand to prevent a drunken melee sprawling onto Camden’s Argyle St in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Mr Wisbey said the red card initiative was purely a preventive measure.
“We haven’t had issues with the one-punch and other violence that other population-concentrated venues have had,” he said.
“We are more looking at what we don’t want to happen — we don’t want the old days of people fighting in carparks or the streets.”
“Camden is a great place to come out. We have these fantastic venues that should be packed because of what we offer.
Owner of popular Camden nightspot Barenz, Kym van den Heuvel, welcomed the initiative.
“I don’t think it will be used regularly because we don’t see very much anti-social behaviour, but it’s a good proactive measure if the situation did come where we needed to use it,” he said.
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