Merivale’s Ivy is no longer Sydney’s most violent venue, with Coffs Harbour’s Plantation Hotel taking out the top spot on the list of NSW's most troublesome venues.
The updated list, released on 27 November, includes the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust at number 14 – the first time a sporting venue has been included in the scheme, which began in 2008, SMH reports.
The Trust runs venues at the Cricket Ground and at Allianz Stadium, including AFL, soccer, rugby, NRL and cricket matches, and was the scene of 12 violent incidences in the past financial year.
The number of violent incidences range from 21, recorded at the list’s most violent venue, Plantation Hotel in Coffs Harbour, down to 12 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Home nightclub is now Sydney’s most violent venue, taking the spot from Merivale’s Ivy and recording 19 incidents. Home, together with other sites that have recorded 19 or more incidents, are now subject to a mandatory 1.30am lockout, must stop serving alcohol 30 minutes before closing, impose a ban on glass containers or shots, as well as doubles and pre-mixed drinks with over five percent alcohol after midnight.
A representative of the SCG Trust said it already enforces level 1 and level 2 restrictions, adding that the 12 incidents recorded by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing represent less than one incident for every 130,000 people who attend events.
The Ivy, which had been subject to level 1 restrictions for the past four years, now drops down to level 2, with violence incidents in the popular nightclub dropping from 23 to 14.
Venues with 12 to 18 incidents recorded must adhere to Level 2 restrictions as of 8 December. This includes ceasing the service of alcohol 30 minutes before closing, maintaining an incident register during trading hours. Banning the service of drinks in glass containers after midnight and imposing a 10 minute break in alcohol service or actively distributing water and/or food each hour after midnight.
Six venues have been removed from the list.
Hospitality minister Troy Grant told SMH that the level of violence in hospitality venues across NSW is decreasing, with incidents dropping from 1270 across 48 venues in 2008 to 200 across 14 venues for the latest period.
NSW most violent venues
- Plantation Hotel, Coffs Harbour – 21 incidents
- Home nightclub, Sydney – 19 incidents
- Beachcomber Resort, Toukley – 17 incidents
- Fusion, Cronulla – 16 incidents
- Peach Tree Inn, Penrith – 15 incidents
- Ivy, Sydney – 14 incidents
- Crown Hotel, Parramatta – 14 incidents
- PJ's Irish Pub, Parramatta -12 incidents
- World Bar, Potts Point – 12 incidents
- Lone Pine Tavern, Rooty Hill – 12 incidents
- Miranda Hotel – 12 incidents
- Florida Beach Bar, Terrigal – 12 incidents
- Oaks Hotel, Neutral Bay – 12 incidents
- SCG & Sportsground Trust – 12 incidents
