Darwin council lifts alfresco dining fees ... but only for non-licensed venues

LICENSED venues across Darwin have been left fuming by a council decision to place a moratorium on alfresco dining fees for alcohol-free venues only

Trae Buckland collects empties at The Deck Bar ... licensed venues across Darwin have been left feeling short-changed after council lifted alfresco fees, but for unlicensed venues only. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

LICENSED venues across Darwin have been left fuming by a council decision to place a moratorium on alfresco dining fees for alcohol-free venues only.

Darwin chief executive Scott Waters said the decision made at Tuesday’s council meeting was aimed at those businesses who had come to council under financial strain.

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“Smaller licensed venues from time to time (come to council) but nothing on a formalised basis, our unlicensed venues absolutely do,” he said.

“We’re hearing a lot (about) ... what they are having to deal with in the economy at the moment so we’re working as much as we can to get a really good operating environment.

“We don’t have a lot of levers in local government to be able to stimulate the economy from the dollar perspective, this is one that we can do.”

Waiving fees for unlicensed venues until July 2021 will cost council $60,000, while including licensed venues in the moratorium would add an extra $100,000.

Elected members Robin Knox, Justine Glover, Peter Pangquee, Andrew Arthur, Mick Palmer and lord mayor Kon Vatskalis all voted against waiving alfresco fees for licensed venues.

“I haven’t noticed licensed premises suffering and not having businesses,” Alderman Knox said.

“I notice when I go to get drinks I pay quite a lot more, I don’t think this is really necessary for them.”

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But local restaurateur Jason Hanna said businesses shouldn’t be compromised because they sold alcohol and he said the move could see the demise of Darwin.

“If you take any kind of discount or abolishment, isn’t it about the positive activation it’d bring to the city?” he said.

“Why are they discriminating against a type of venue because they sell alcohol.

“The prophecy will come true and Palmerston will become the city of the NT.”

Aldermen Jimmy Bouhoris, Rebecca Want De Rowe, Emma Young, George Lambrinidis and Gary Haslett voted in favour of the fee moratorium being applied to licenced venues.