Babylon Berlin ready to serve beers just waiting for a liquor license

Babylon Berlin, tucked away in the Air Raid Arcade, had hoped to open its doors in November and start pouring beers. But owners Kitty Kat and Matt Mulga have been waiting for a liquor licence for ten months and are still waiting

Babylon Berlin owner Matt Mulga has been waiting for a liquor licence for 10 months. Picture: KERI MEGELUS

BABYLON Berlin, tucked away in the Air Raid Arcade, is almost ready to open its doors and start pouring beers.

However, the owners Kitty Kat and Matt Mulga, who also run the popular Lola’s Pergola at Cullen Bay, have been unable to begin trading as they are waiting for a liquor licence.

Mr Mulga said he lodged an application about 10 months ago and hoped to be open in November last year.

However, they have been forced to wait months.

He said the process to gain a liquor licence was not streamlined or easy.

“Now, because of the changes, if you want to apply for a temporary change for one evening it goes to the commissioner rather than the director, it means everything becomes a bureaucratic wait,” he said.

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Previously liquor applications were heard by the director of licensing.

Now applications are submitted to the director and then once approved handed to the Liquor Commission, who gives the final say.

Mr Mulga said he was led to believe his application would be heard by the Liquor Commission in December but it was put off due to an influx of applications for temporary changes.

He said it was frustrating to be stalled when he was trying to brighten up Darwin’s CBD.

“You look at Melbourne and Adelaide and there’s new bars popping up every day and in Darwin nothing is happening and they say landlords are greedy.

“There’s too much red tape and bureaucracy.”

Other business owners, who wished to remain anonymous, said they had also found the liquor process application prolonged and difficult.

A Licensing NT spokeswoman said the application was received and had been advertised on June 9 and 13 but there were “several objections” lodged.

“The matter is currently being considered by the Director-General to determine if it may be referred to the Liquor Commission pursuant to Part III of the Act,” the spokeswoman said.