Booze bid knocked back for Port Melbourne play centre

It’s described as a “haven” for parents with St Ali coffee and top burgers on offer. But a bid to add a glass of pinot to the list was knocked back by regulators, who fear parents would get too drunk.

Parents won’t be able to have a drink at the centre. Picture: File image

A play centre has had its bid to offer parents a pinot knocked back for fear that they will be too drunk to properly supervise their children.

Port Melbourne’s Play Central applied for a liquor licence but was rejected because the regulator found serving alcohol could be “to the detriment of child safety”.

An internal review carried out by three commissioners upheld the dry decision, shocking the play centre’s owners.

One of centre’s owners, Tony Gaudry, said it was designed as a “haven” for parents, offering “one of Melbourne’s top burgers” and St Ali coffee.

“We want to provide a refuge as much for the parents as for the kids,” Mr Gaudry said.

“A natural extension of that is to open in the evening when parents might quite reasonably expect to have a wine or beer to relax.

“It’s not a place to have a full drinking session.”

Regulators said they were concerned it would have an “adverse impact” on parents’ ability to supervise their kids. Picture: File image

Mr Gaudry said the centre had intended to host Christmas parties and parents’ nights that allowed them “to send the kids off to play while mum and dad enjoyed a beverage with their dinner”.

He said parents would be able to watch their children from their table.

“You can go to any number of venues, many of them sporting clubs, that openly advertise a bistro, kids play area and pokies on massive boards outside their venue,” Mr Gaudry said.

“Those venues don’t have dedicated staff to watch the children. It is perfectly acceptable for them but ours is not.”

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The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation found no risk that children would be served alcohol, given the centre was targeted at kids aged under 13.

Instead it rejected the application because the centre did not have staff dedicated to supervising children and feared intoxicated parents would not properly monitor the youngsters.

“The Commission has concerns regarding the impact that permitting the supply of liquor at a children’s play centre may have,” the commission’s decision said.

“The Commissioners noted the high reliance placed by the Applicant on parental supervision of children within the play area and identified that the introduction of liquor at the Premises could have an adverse impact on this responsibility to the detriment of child safety.”

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