Council allows local nightspot two hours grace in liquor license application

A PROPOSED Nightcliff wine bar is free to keep its customers happy until 2am on weekends, after Darwin council accepted the liquor application in full

Dom's Bar, a proposed wine and tapas venue for Nightcliff’s Aralia St Arcade, has been granted a 2am closing time on weekends by Darwin council. PICTURE: KERI MEGELUS

A PROPOSED Nightcliff wine bar is free to keep its customers happy until 2am on weekends, after Darwin council accepted the liquor application in full.

Dom’s Bar, a proposed wine and Tapas Bar located in the Aralia St Arcade will be open seven days a week from 11am until midnight on week nights and 2am on Saturday and Sunday Morning.

But a proposed draft letter from council suggested the business should close it’s doors at 11.59pm on any day, given “council expends considerable time and resources in the public areas of Nightcliff Foreshore in an attempt to mitigate social harms caused by high levels of alcohol consumption”.

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However a slim majority of aldermen, including Mick Palmer, said it was important to support local business ventures in a time of need.

“The application is to go to 2am on Saturday and Sunday mornings, I don’t have a problem with that,” he said.

“It adds a sense of community, a sense of town or village if you can walk down to your local bar, have a drink and have a feed and twice a week, God forbid, come home a little later.”

Mick Palmer is an alderman on Darwin Council

While happy to see Mr Wundke’s business thrive, alderman Rebecca Want de Rowe thought a midnight closure would suit the area.

“There are a lot of residential units there,” she said.

“People living there haven’t decided to live next to a bar and we’re allowing one going in.”

Dom’s bar owner Dominic Wundke said the extra two hours would provide flexibility to his business.

“Part of the business model is being able to operate into the late evenings, that’s part of an entertainment venue,” he said.

“I’m glad that council has taken a progressive view on this application and they can see the value in getting more entertainment, community hubs into the community.”

Darwin lord mayor Kon Vatskalis used his casting vote to ensure Dom’s would remain open until 2am on weekends — the second time he has done so in recent months after previously using it to enforce a ban on offensive material, such as the CU in the NT slogan, at local markets.