Stanley Street to become Alcohol Free Zone

BY PATRICK BILLINGS
If you are caught drinking kerbside in Sydney’s little Italy you could expect to be hit with a hefty fine. Council is set to declare Stanley Street an Alcohol Free Zone (AFZ) in a bid to stamp out growing alcohol related violence in the area.
A spokesman from the City of Sydney Council said AFZ’s are one of many strategies council use to combat anti social behaviour and licensed premises would not be targets.
“They are not implemented to harm businesses and all the out-door dining in Stanley Street, which makes it what it is, should not be affected by this.”
“This is not about stopping people have a few glasses of wine at the Lord Roberts, it is about problem drinking on the streets and stopping people becoming really anti social, wandering the streets and screaming at people,” said the spokesman.
A police spokesman said he had asked council to nominate Stanley Street as an AFZ to help reduce street drinking. All police proposals for AFZ’s are judged on their merits and not blindly endorsed, he said, but was unaware of council ever having knocked one back. The fine is $22.
“While we want to work with police we are very conscious that we need to get the balance right. We ask police to provide all the data they have used to conclude they need the extra power of an AFZ for that area,” he said.
Businesses along Stanley Street were mixed in their response to the new law.
“I think it is a great idea, people need to change their attitude to drinking,” said Leo, owner of Stanley Street’s Gaucho Grill.
But Time to Vino owner, Clint Hillery, said it may run counter to the planned upgrade to revitalise Stanley Street as the Mecca of Sydney’s “eat street”.
“I doubt big signs reading ‘ Alcohol Frees Zone ‘ will work well with council’s plans to make Stanley Street a hub for alfresco dining.”
Mr Hillery, who has run the Stanley Street Wine Bar for three months with his brother Nathan, said they were yet to be notified about the AFZ.
Liberal councillor Shayne Mallard said AFZ’s are simply a tool for police to stop the homeless congregating and drinking.
“Frankly, AFZ’s are a poorly disguised instrument to move on the homeless.”
While Cr Mallard was supportive of such measures he was surprised to find Stanley Street had been included.
Manager of the Lord Roberts Hotel, Paul Nightingale, said the hotel’s clientele would not be affected but it would be a god send for residents.
“The area must be one of the worst places to live in terms of noise and I have heard of a few bashings lately,” Mr Nightingale said.
“They are trying to target vagrants and people like that.”
A Constable from City Central Police confirmed AFZ’s are often used to break up groups of homeless drinkers.
“It is unfortunate we have so little power to anything about it. Homeless people don’t have the means to pay the fines and if you take them to court they will probably get off,” he said.
Stanley Street will become an Alcohol Free Zone from November 3.