Manly, East Esplanade: Beach booze ban bid to prevent Covid surge halted

A booze ban push has been made at a popular unofficial outdoor drinking spot on the northern beaches after a concerning surge in crowd numbers.

A bid to slap a 24-hour booze ban on a popular northern beaches’ unofficial outdoor party venue, where large crowds have been gathering at weekends, has failed.

Several members of Northern Beaches Council voted to stop alcohol being consumed in East Esplanade Park at Manly — known to locals as The Office — after police were called to move on a surge in reveller numbers last Friday night.

A photograph, taken by a resident, of revellers in East Esplanade Park at Manly on Friday night. Picture: Supplied

Local residents complained that the crowd was well above the 800-person capacity allowed; people were not being socially distant and not wearing masks and; some revellers were involved in anti-social behaviour including defecating in public.

Alcohol is allowed to be consumed in the park between 8am and 8pm.

But size of the crowd at “The Office” on Friday attracted wide media attention and harsh public criticism with claims that authorities were not being tough enough.

Police issued a number of move-on directions along with three infringement notices for breaches of Covid orders.

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan. Picture: Supplied.

Member for Manly James Griffin. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The State Liberal MP for Manly, James Griffin, weighed in on the issue on Monday by issuing a statement declaring his “disgust” at the size of the crowd and the behaviour of some drinkers.

Mr Griffin said there was “an expectation, given the history of this area that by now these problems would have been dealt with” and that a strategy to deal with the problems would be in place.

Liberal councillor Pat Daley moved an amendment to a motion, at Tuesday night’s monthly council meeting, to adopt the council’s five-year Community Safety Plan. Mr Daley’s amendment called for the park to be alcohol-free for two years.

A photograph, taken by a resident, after a crowd left East Esplanade Park at Manly late on Friday night. Picture: Supplied

Mr Daley, who has championed the alcohol ban for some years, said that with hotels and clubs still closed and facing significant patron restrictions when NSW comes out of lockdown, the northern beaches should brace for an upsurge in alcohol problems under the guise of ‘having a picnic’,”

But after an extended one-hour debate the booze ban amendment was voted down nine votes to six.

Mayor Regan told the Manly Daily on Wednesday that Mr Griffin should direct his concerns to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Planning Minister Rob Stokes who had urged people to use public reserves to have a drink and a picnic now that Covid restrictions had been eased.

Mr Regan said Mr Griffin had supported the plan that allowed drinking at The Office and the safety action plan for the park that directed council rangers to stop people drinking after 8pm and to call police if the crowd was beyond capacity.

Mr Regan said he was disappointed in Mr Griffin’s comments.

“If Mr Griffin wants to shut down The Office, he has to say that publicly.

“Unfortunately the perfect storm of the government’s closure of restaurants, pubs and clubs, the encouragement of having a picnic and having a drink culminated in exceeding the 800 people capacity.

“The rangers did what the plan says and that’s call the police to enforce the health orders.

“At the and of the day the police dealt with it, as did the rangers.

“The plan worked.

“If Mr Griffin wants more resources to enforce the health orders, that’s a police matter.”

Mr Griffin said on Wednesday that the challenges posed by The Office occurred nearly every summer.

“I congratulate the council for forming a Working Group to formulate some effective strategies to improve the situation.

“I’ll continue to support the Northern Beaches Council in their efforts to provide a space for families and friends to responsibly enjoy a drink and watch the sun set.”

EARLIER

Monday, September 27

A disturbing image has emerged of a man defecating on the ground at a popular northern beaches outdoor public drinking spot as authorities look set to target revellers flouting Covid public health orders.

The photo shows a man — not wearing a mask — appearing to squat, with his pants pulled down, behind a row of garbage bins at the East Esplanade Park in Manly Cove.

It was taken last Friday night, the Manly Daily has been told, close to where a large night time crowd of drinkers and picnickers had gathered in the beachside reserve.

A man photographed defecating behind garbage bins at East Esplanade Park at Manly on the evening of Friday, September 24 when a large crowd of revellers were at the reserve in Manly Cove. Picture: Supplied

The volume of people at what is locally known as “The Office”, attracted wide media attention and harsh public criticism over the weekend with claims that authorities were not being tough enough on people breaching Covid public health orders on the northern beaches and eastern suburbs.

Images from the evening suggested people were not adhering to the 1.5m social distancing rules, not wearing masks and were gathering in groups of more than five permitted adults.

Northern Beaches Council allows alcohol to be consumed in the park between 8am and 8pm.

Liberal State MP for Manly James Griffin said that he “like most Manly residents, was disgusted” at the size of the crowd and the piles of rubbish they left behind.

Piles of empty alcohol and food containers left behind by revellers at East Esplanade Reserve at Manly on the evening of Friday, September 24. It is not suggested any person in this photograph has breached Covid public health orders. Picture: Supplied

“The activities that took place and subsequent mess left behind are disgraceful and must not happen again” he said.

And Liberal councillor Pat Daley said the huge crowd was a warning that a surge in alcohol-related problems at other public parks, as the state emerged from Covid lockdown, was likely later this year.

“With hotels and clubs still closed and facing significant patron restrictions when NSW comes out of Covid lockdown, the northern beaches is bracing for an upsurge in alcohol abuse in our parks and beachside reserves over the coming summer months under the guise of ‘having a picnic’,” Mr Daley said.

“In addition to the expected breaches of Covid restrictions, I have no doubt that there will be an upsurge in anti-social behaviour particularly involving young people. This is already happening.

“No responsible service of alcohol or policing of underage drinking applies at these locations.”

Mr Griffin said he would speak with Northern Beaches Police and the council about the crowding at East Esplanade and would support any action they take.

“What clearly looked like a contempt for social distancing and Covid safe practices, the

blatant disregard for nearby residents, and lack of personal responsibility shown by some

attendees is beyond disappointing and their actions put the ongoing use of the space as it

is currently used at risk for all,” he said.

“There is an expectation, given the history of this area that by now these problems would

have been dealt with.

“In February (this year), the council unanimously supported the creation of a ‘working group’ to establish strategies and action plans to help prevent alcohol related anti-social behaviour.

Agreed strategies and actions plans were to be presented to Council within three months

of this group convening.”

The council said its rangers would continue to work closely with police to ensure East Esplanade and other “key locations” remained open and social distancing was maintained.

CEO, Ray Brownlee, said the council set up mobile digital signs advising people that the park had a 800-person capacity and providing up-to-date information about health orders and restrictions.

The new toilet block in East Esplanade Park, Manly, just metres from where the man was photographed defecating behind bins. Picture: Supplied

“Our COVID-19 Action Plan for Outdoor Public Spacessupports the NSW Health Orders and is an adaptable framework for how Council will work with NSW Police, Surf Lifesaving and stakeholders to ensure key locations across the LGA are managed as restrictions ease.

“East Esplanade Reserve is a very popular location for locals and visitors. We know people want to be outdoors as the weather warms up and our aim is to ensure it is available for everyone to enjoy without breaching public health orders.”

In a statement, police said that Northern Beaches Police went to local beaches after reports crowd numbers were increasing.

“At Manly, a number of move-on directions were issued along with three infringement notices for breaches of the Public Health Order.”

Police said they were committed to enforcing the Public Health Order.