Pubs wait for glass ban rule

THE Central Hotel and 13 other Queensland pubs and clubs will find out today if state government notices that could enforce a glass ban will be withdrawn.

Licensees representing the venues took their fight to the Supreme Court in Brisbane yesterday, since receiving notices labelling the glasses “high risk” and asking them to show cause why they should not be forced to replace them with plastic or tempered glass by December.

Central Hotel manager Timothy Noonan, who took over on October 19, said the cost to convert to plastic or tempered glass could be substantial if the notice was not withdrawn.

“It’d cost me a fortune,” he said.

“I couldn’t estimate how much at this point.”

In October, the state government listed 41 licensed venues to prove why they should continue to use glass.

The Queensland Government said the show-cause notices were issued to pubs and hotels that recorded incidents of glass being used as an injury-causing weapon in the past 12 months.

At the time, the two Bundaberg venues in the list, the Central Hotel and the Club Hotel, both said they were phasing out glass for the late sessions.

Club Hotel venue manager Shane Isles said their switch in July to plastic glasses after 10pm had been a success.

“We’re doing our bit to be pro-active. It seems to be paying off,” Mr Isles said.

He said since the venue had brought their changes in earlier than most in the area, patrons had understood the safety concern and had a chance to get used to plastic.

Back in the Supreme Court yesterday, the Queensland Government argued that one glassing was enough for a notice to be issued, and then venues could argue why they should not be classified as high risk.

Pubs and clubs said venues had not been given adequate reasoning as to why the “high risk” tag had been applied so that they could properly respond.

Justice Peter Applegarth reserved his decision until this morning.