Mission Concert drinks plan rejected | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

More bars, more staff and moves to prevent an initial "run" on drink buying from people arriving en masse are initiatives Mission Concert organisers hope will prevent a repeat of last year's wine and beer sales woes.

Mission Estate Winery chief executive Peter Holley said he had hoped approaches he and promoters Sport and Entertainment Ltd made in an initial liquor licence application, to allow one person to purchase both wine and beer and thus cut down queue numbers, would be accepted.

But it was not.

"We tried to have that changed to mitigate last year's problems but were unable to achieve that," he said. A fresh licensing appeal would be launched for the 2013 event.

As it stands again this year, a person may only buy one bottle of wine at a time, or four beers, or four RTDs.

It effectively doubled the number of people who then had to queue, Mr Holley said as they could not buy for a companion.

With no movement on the restrictions placed on the venue, he said other plans had to be put in place.

"We have moved heaven and hell to satisfy patrons - because we are in a position where we've been given a guideline we are obliged to conform to."

Unable to effect a licence change, he and SEL's director of operations Garry Craft got together and formulated what they hope will be a "stop the queues" plan.

It includes expanding sales outlets to 13 - almost doubling last year's sites, and putting on 183 staff to run them and keep them stocked.

"We have got more resources in place and plenty of stock and doubled the counter space," Mr Craft said.

Changes to the supply system would mean no shortages of particular wine lines - last year some bottles were not chilled and some ran out.

There will also be cash express lanes, while pre-concert sales had been carried out on-line, with vouchers redeemable at all the outlets.

This year there are sales areas set up for people going through the gates from 1pm, and before the main concert site gates opened.

"People can make their purchase and put it in the chilly bin before the gates open at 3."

He said getting the first drinks last year was the main problem and the ability to make the first purchase before entering the main paddock would help.

The organisers have also asked people to use cash for purchases, and two eftpos machines would be on site.

"We ask people to be patient. We will work as hard as we can and I am reasonably confident we can achieve this," Mr Holley said. "But we will only find out on the day."