BY C.J. MCGINLEY
NIGHTCLUB owners from across Donegal were due to meet last night (Thursday) to discuss the controversial move to restrict late night drinking licences.
Over 20 nightclub proprietors planned to meet in Letterkenny to consider further legal challenges to the move including the strong possibility of a High Court challenge to the ruling last week to restrict nightclub licences from 2.30 am to 1.30am.
A spokesman for the nightclub owners in Letterkenny warned they would fight the move 'tooth and nail' as their livelihoods and those of the 800 people employed by the four owners in Letterkenny depended on the opening till 2.30 am.
Mr Brian Gallagher, owner of the Ramada Encore Hotel in Letterkenny, said the move could have severe consequences for businesses in the town. His hotel employs 45 people.
"This move could have drastic implications on our business. I see it putting Letterkenny at a major disadvantage compared to other towns that are attracting tourists. I don't feel it is fair that Letterkenny should be targeted while this anti-social behaviour problem is happening in every town of its size," he said.
"Cutting the closing times from 2.30 am to 1.30 am is just going to bring the problem back by one hour. We are at a big disadvantage here in the North West because of our location and lack of key infrastructure and this move just makes it more difficult to get people to stay in our hotels. I raised this concern at a meeting with the Superintendent stressing to him that the main cause of anti-social behaviour in my mind is the bellow cost selling of alcohol in supermarkets," he concluded.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce in Letterkenny also yesterday came out strongly against the court ruling. The Chamber said Letterkenny had hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in recent days.
"The Garda decision not to grant license extensions this month has caused great controversy and concern not just to the licensed trade but to the business community as a whole. The concern from the Chamber is that Letterkenny is being labelled as an unsafe ant-social town. We have been promoting Letterkenny as a place of vitality and economically where everyone is welcome. Over the last number of years it has become the broad entertainment sector of the North West attracting people from across Donegal and Northern Ireland come to Letterkenny for a great night out,"
"This move seems to be laying the blame for anti-social behaviour solely on the misuse of alcohol and therefore at the door of the publicans alone. On looking closer the Chamber believes this is a much wider issue. The acceptance of the Grocery Act has allowed large multinationals to sell drink at extremely low prices and frequently as loss leaders with no restrictions on the amount purchased. So anyone over 18 can buy 24 cans for ¤13 to whatever quantity they like. This practice is unpoliced and is a huge contributor to the misuse of alcohol in society. Where the groceries order was seen as acceptable for competitive trading ultimately it is having an unprecedented effect on the alcohol culture in Ireland," the statement concluded.
Last Thursday Superintendent Vincent O'Brien told Letterkenny District Court that he was objecting to extended alcohol licences on 'behalf of the people of Letterkenny' who wanted the gardai to address anti-social behaviour, drunkenness and on-street violence. He stated there were 1,061 public order offences in Letterkenny last year.
The move directly affected the Milan, Sister Sarah's and Voodoo night-clubs in Letterkenny and Heeney's in Ballybofey and earlier this week the Pulse Nightclub in Letterkenny.
They must stop serving alcohol after 1.30am, instead of 2.30am, as part of the new exemptions. Superintendent O'Brien offered a compromise of 2am but this was refused by solicitors acting on behalf of the applicants. On Tuesday Superintendent O'Brien said he was no longer willing to offer the 2am closing time as a compromise.
While the move has so far just hit four nightclub premises in Letterkenny it will have the same effect on all other night-clubs in the Letterkenny District when they seek exemptions.
However, the head of the Donegal Mental Health Service said he welcomed the restrictions by local gardai to address the problem of anti-social behaviour, drunkenness and on-street violence in our towns.
Dr Tony Sharkey said: "It has been proven that if you reduce the price and increase the availability of alcohol there is a corresponding rise in consumption and liver related diseases. It is not only a mental health issue, its a public health and social issue. Alcohol abuse is a grave problem in Ireland. It has a major impact on mental health and has major consequences and costs for society," he concluded.
Toni Forrester, CEO, of Letterkenny Chamber said "while this decision will have a direct effect on the hospitality industry it is attacking the wider service sector."
"Letterkenny no longer has large manufacturing plants nor the safety net of the construction sector and as a result the service sector has become increasingly important to economy of the town in creating employment. The sector has now become a large employer and in light of these recent decisions there is concern that there may be job losses. This of course has a knock on effect to other businesses such as hotels, restaurants, taxis, fast food outlets and other entertainment providers who all thrive on Letterkenny being an entertainment hot spot. In this current economic climate we cannot afford to lose jobs or the money that is generated by this sector," she said.
"Letterkenny has seen growth in population of 22% over the last four years against a national growth of 8% with a young age profile. This population growth brings with it difficulties but also huge opportunities for the town. While the Chamber and the business community in no way condones anti-social behaviour it is important that we deal with the underlying issues of mis-use of alcohol and anti-social behaviour jointly and continue to promote Letterkenny as a competitive, safe, lively and prosperous town." she added.
The news comes just days after the Chairman of Letterkenny's Joint Policing Committee moved to distance the committee from the controversial move last week by Gardai to tighten restrictions for late night drinking licences in local nightclubs.
Speaking at Monday night's Town Council meeting Councillor Damien Blake said it was important to clarify the Joint Policing Committee's position on the matter given the intense interest the controversial move to restrict late night licensing hours has had from the industry.
Councillor Blake said while the matter had been discussed at the JPC no decision had been reached and the committee hadn't the authority to make such a decision, an issue he accepted was the responsibility of the gardai.
However, the remarks sparked off controversy at the meeting with one long serving councillor claiming the members of the committee couldn't now 'wash their hands' of the matter following strong representations over the weekend from leading nightclub owners.
There was also a claim from the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Policing Committee, Councillor Gerry McMonagle, that Garda Superintendent Vincent O'Brien, who objected to the licences in court, 'had brought the JPC into court as leverage' without full prior consultation and agreement with the committee on the matter.
"We would like to know what the breakdown of the public order offences is and how many directly related to nightclub hours. Are the figures up or down on the previous year.
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