Like it or not, Queenstown is an entertainment destination.
Even though some people would claim we’re not a party town and have us all tucked up in bed by 10pm, the reality is the town is many things to many people – no doubt the secret to its success.
Whether it be adventure sports and partying all night or tramping into the wilderness and early evenings relaxing at the hotel, Queenstown caters to all individual needs and is the only place within several hundred kilometres known to have all of this on offer – as well as a happening nightlife.
Part of our international appeal is the vibrant energy, day and night, and to restrict this by enforcing archaic and unreasonable sound limits and conditions seems senseless and potentially damaging to our image.
As the current noise regulations stand, most restaurants and bars must vacate patrons from outdoor areas and pack up and lock the doors and windows at 10pm to comply with the 50 decibel night-time noise limit in the CBD. This limit is ridiculous as the ambient noise level of the CBD at night is 60db, effectively meaning any activity in town breaches this and the entire town should be served abatement notices and fined.
A car driving by or conversation between two people reads higher than 50db. Is it reasonable to grant all the liquor licences we have and then expect them all to be quiet?
Why some people are so obsessed with the town being so quiet at night is beyond me.
The good news is, they seem to be the minority – I note ex-mayor Warren Cooper’s article supporting the 10pm curfew on scene.co.nz attracted 108 ‘dislikes’ and only 8 ‘likes’. The majority, it seems, support the idea of being able to sit at a table outside at a restaurant or bar beyond sunset while enjoying food and beverage and engaging in conversation, which seems reasonable and sensible. Seriously, is conversation in the streets really that offensive?
This is the norm in most of the civilised world. In many parts of Europe, people don’t even consider going out until 9pm or 10pm.
Do we really want to be viewed as a quiet little backwater when we’re trying to attract international visitors? I understand some residents and travellers prefer to turn in before 10pm, but we have residents and travellers of all ages, many of whom prefer to stay up a bit later and enjoy the nightlife.
The party poopers also need to understand it’s not just a few licensees upset about these noise regulations – there is a great deal of public support for a change.
As Southern Lakes branch president of the Restaurant Association I represent 55 local businesses, many of which are frustrated at these outdated rules. The national head of the association also can’t understand why we have such restrictive conditions.
As an affected business owner, I’ve received overwhelming support from the community and regular customers, all dumbstruck that after six years of running our outside terrace (demonstrating demand for outdoor areas), it is suddenly shut due to a single complaint. Other than that it didn’t seem to bother anyone.
The Queenstown CBD should be used for commercial as well as residential use and allowed to develop as a vibrant night-time precinct as demand grows – much the same as the other major centres in New Zealand.
Nightlife precincts in Auckland and Wellington have proven to be successful for restaurants and bars and operate well into the night with outdoor areas available at many, which adds to the vibrancy and atmosphere of these areas, not to mention they feel safer.
I note these precincts also contain accommodation, yet the sound level doesn’t seem to be restricted to a pathetic 50db.
My suggestion is raise the decibel restriction to a sensible level inside a down-sized CBD, which currently spreads as far as Hay, Earl and Man streets.
This smaller mixed-use zone would exclude some of the bigger hotels and could allow a sensible amount of outdoor use for restaurants and bars. Guests staying at accommodation that remains in the zone would surely have enough common sense to know there may be a little noise and perhaps that is what they’re looking for – to be part of the downtown action.
If it’s peace and quiet they’re after, there are many options outside the town’s centre. Accommodation and entertainment venues can and should be able to co-exist in the CBD.
Cameron Mitchell The Bunker Restaurant & Bar owner and Southern Lakes Branch president of the Restaurant Association of New Zealand
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