Relaxed rules around alcohol service for Newcastle's inner-city small bars and restaurants look set to begin in October - provided the necessary approvals are met and COVID-19 restrictions do not bring the move to a halt.
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The Newcastle Committee for Night Time Jobs and Investment has flagged an October 1 start date for the trial.
It would allow small bars and restaurants to open longer and offer broader drinks menus.
The committee chair, One Nation's Mark Latham, said data collection during the trial would be critical to ensure it delivered an economic benefit.
"We will be collecting the data to ensure that there is full accountability from participating venues," he said.
"If we want this to be [a] success we are going to make sure we have the numbers to back this up, and for tourism to be a success in Newcastle public safety and night time activity must walk hand in hand."
NSW Labor's Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said the scope of the trial was being designed to keep a strong focus on community safety.
"With local businesses under extraordinary pressure and record high unemployment in the region, it is critical we do everything we can to support jobs and economic growth in the city," he said.
"However, this trial is not going to be open slather for any hospitality venue to do whatever they want.
"Throughout the trial these venues will need to demonstrate their commitment to keeping their patrons safe and doing right by the wider community."
NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello visited the Hunter last month to discuss licensing conditions with various stakeholders.
Conditions known as the "Newcastle Solution" were introduced more than a decade ago and originally applied to 14 venues - dictating closing hours, lock-outs and the time of night that certain types of drinks such as cocktails could no longer be served.
While the small bars and restaurants part of the proposed trial are not subject to the "Newcastle Solution", Mr Dominello said last month some of those conditions had crept to apply to other venues.
Newcastle anti-violence campaigner Tony Brown said the committee had not provided a convincing explanation as to how the trial would boost the night time economy or employment.
He also questioned the definition of what constitutes a small bar and which premises would be included.
"This is the first step in the ultimate demise of the package of Newcastle's life-saving and business-boosting liquor licensing conditions," Mr Brown said.
"It is the worst form of political opportunism to rely upon the deadly COVID pandemic and financial recovery as some form of perverse justification to grant further concessions to the alcohol lobby outside the existing rules, particularly given their current record of COVID non-compliance and high-risk vectors for COVID transmission."
The Australian Hotels Association's Hunter president Rolly de With said it was positive to see "collaboration between a variety of stakeholders working toward common goals of public safety, vibrancy, viability and employment".
"Our local night time economy has been devastated by the impacts of COVID-19 and AHA Newcastle-Hunter supports any measures which aim to increase and re-invigorate the tourism and hospitality industry in Newcastle," he said.
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