Cheers to that: Council changes position, supports hairdresser’s alcohol licence proposal

DARWIN Council has backflipped to give its support to a hairdresser’s application to serve alcohol to his customers at his city salon

Hair Dude owner Gary Strachan is looking forward to being able to serve alcohol to his customers at his city salon. Picture: Keri Megelus

DARWIN Council has backflipped to give its support to a hairdresser’s application to serve alcohol to his customers at his city salon.

Hair Dude, on Knuckey St, will likely become the second hairdresser in Darwin to legally serve alcohol, behind Casuarina Square’s Tommy Gun’s.

“It’s a great idea, a wonderful service,” Alderman Andrew Arthur said at Council’s meeting on Tuesday night.

Council had originally drafted a letter suggesting the service of alcohol was not something expected within the regular operations of a hair salon.

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The decision comes as a relief to Hair Dude owner Gary Strachan who had already spent more than $10,000 installing a bar and fridges in his business, as well as organising a number of inspections.

“Thank God common sense prevailed,” Mr Strachan said.

“I’m glad Council can see if businesses in the Darwin CBD thought outside the square they would not only survive this downturn in business but thrive.”

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Before Tuesday night’s decision, Council community and regulatory services general manager Polly Banks, in a draft letter to the liquor commission, said selling liquor would be outside the expectation of a hair salon’s operations.

“Council has concerns the granting of a liquor licence for this business may impact the social conditions in the community, due to the sale of alcohol in this business not being commensurate with the usual and expected activities of a hairdressing salon,” the letter said.

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“Council proposes that the provision of alcohol as a complementary addition to hairdressing services is acceptable however the sale of alcohol as a separate item within the business is not.”

But Mr Strachan said he was just trying to enhance his customers’ experience legally, with the liquor commission recently telling salons they could face a $45,000 fine if they were caught serving alcohol without a licence, as the council letter had suggested.