Daniel McGookin, Macarthur Chronicle
Underage boozers caught sneaking in to a pub or club in the Camden area will be barred from 80-plus licensed venues until their 21st birthday, as part of a new hard line policy.
Members of the Camden Liquor Accord, which includes pubs, bottle shops, restaurants and clubs, have united behind a set of hard-nosed rules aimed at protecting the family friendly atmosphere of the southwest Sydney hamlet, as well as the hip pocket of licensees.
Troublemakers banned from a single venue after acting up will have their indiscretions judged by a ‘barring committee’, who will then rule the length of the ban from all 80-plus member venues in the Camden area.
Those guilty of anti-social behaviour can be banned from two to five years, with their photos as well as details of their boorish acts to be shared to all licensed watering holes in the Camden area. The bans will be enforced by local police.
Camden Liquor Accord president Steve Wisbey OAM said the hard line policies were a win-win for everyone.
“Banning underage drinkers is very much a community safety issue,” he said. “One, they are under-18 and shouldn’t be trying to drink and two, they’re putting businesses in jeopardy and especially during this time with COVID, we don’t need any more hassles.”
One of the area’s most popular nightspots, Camden Hotel, was ordered to shut down for two days by the Liquor and Gaming Authority last year after a trio of minors were served 20 beers on an earlier occasion.
In recent weeks, Camden venue The Royal Hotel banned those 21 and under from visiting without adult supervision with the licensee saying younger patrons had been treating the venue “like a schoolies holiday”.
Owner of popular Camden nightspot Barenz, Kym Van Den Heuvel, said the policies made sure the irresponsible actions from drunken revellers had repercussions.
“We stand together as a community,” he said. “We don’t want those outliers, or these one off examples of irresponsible behaviour, to reflect what the Camden community is like.”
Anti-social behaviour or underage drinking is relatively low in Camden compared to greater Sydney, with the new rules set to further encourage a fun, family-friendly atmosphere.
“It’s about having a great time without being an idiot,” Mr Wisbey said. “To keep Camden as a safe and enjoyable for families to visit.
Camden Liquor Accord Policies