Flaxmere set for booze ban

18th April 2007

MANDY SMITH

Flaxmere will be subject to a total booze ban from June. Hastings District Council's community services committee yesterday voted to impose a 24/7 alcohol ban in the suburb, to help combat alcohol-related crime.

The ban, effective from June 1, will apply to central Flaxmere and include an area around Flaxmere High School, half of Flaxmere Park and the shopping centre.

Police asked for the ban to crack down on under-aged youths drinking, committing assaults and damaging property in the area.

A survey of retailers last year showed the majority considered alcohol consumption near the shopping centre at night - an extremely serious problem.

Flaxmere ward councillor Keriana Poulain said youths were moving to Flaxmere to drink to avoid liquor bans in Havelock North and Hastings.

"The community is rapt. It's been written on the wall for a while now," she said. "We've waited patiently and now the community will be rewarded."

She said the problem would probably rear its head in another area "but we'll deal with one thing at a time".

The committee recommended spending $5000 on signs and advertising to make the community aware of the new restrictions.

The council will officially adopt the liquor ban at its next full meeting in early May.