Don't park your party here | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

A liquor ban will soon put an end to hoons drinking up large in a Takapuna carpark, reports Nicholas Jones.

A quick drink or two before heading out is a money-saving tactic familiar to many of us.

But it's a little less acceptable when that "drink" is more like a whole boxful of bottles, and is consumed in a carpark with dozens of other people.

Cash-strapped youths have been gathering to drink in a council-owned carpark next to the landmark Poenamo Hotel, before trying to continue their socialising at the neighbouring Backyard Bar.

Kurt Visser, operations manager for the Takapuna Golf Club, which borders the carpark, says the drinking is a problem. "Especially on Thursday evenings and on the weekend, there are hundreds of bottles of broken glass in the area," says Mr Visser, whose club operates a late-night driving range. "There's a lot of antisocial behaviour in the carpark, and people have been harassed a little bit on their way to practise."

Backyard Bar owner Steve Gillet says the youths force other patrons returning to their cars to run the gauntlet.

Most of the people drinking in the carpark are turned away from the bar for being too drunk, and return to their cars to carry on boozing.

"That causes havoc for the hotel people as well because they're creating noise and other problems by sitting out there," says Mr Gillet.

To help police deal with the problem drinkers, Mr Gillet asked Takapuna Community Board to support an overnight liquor ban, which has been approved by the North Shore City Council.

Councillor and board member Kevin Schwass used to run the Poenamo hotel, and owns several bars on the North Shore.

He says customers "pre-loading" on drinks have become a problem for bars across Auckland, driven by the lowered drinking age and availability of cheap liquor.

"Then they come in and expect the licensee to provide service, facilities, security and all the rest of it. It's good for them, but not so good for bar owners."

Inspector Les Paterson, North Shore area commander, who wrote to the community board in support of the measure, says liquor bans are becoming common throughout the country as a way to discourage  binge drinking in public.

Now the ban has been approved, Mr Visser hopes the carpark will revert to its intended purpose.

"It's good for us, it's good for the pub and all the sporting facilities around here. You don't want that element or those kinds of areas where people gather just to get drunk."

Bar humbug

An overnight liquor ban (7pm-7am, seven days a week) for the public areas covering the carpark next to the Poenamo Hotel and Takapuna Golf  Course goes into effect from Friday, from Friday, July 16.