Get out of town
An angry bar owner has a message for drunk out-of-town rebuild workers: "Go back to South Auckland."
Bush Inn Tavern owner Gary Keast says the boozed workers and their unemployed mates, who can't get jobs in the city, are "mongrels''.
He has welcomed the start of a 10-week police crackdown on alcohol-related crime which saw 75 people arrested for breaching the liquor ban and disorderly behaviour at the weekend.
Authorities in Christchurch are trying to get on top of drunken disorder in the suburbs with a variety of measures including liquor bans and the police crackdown leading into Christmas.
Mr Keast said yesterday once the out-of-towners got drunk they started looking for trouble.
"They are not our type of patrons. It's their attitude. They think they are bulletproof. They are buying alcohol from supermarkets and becoming highly intoxicated.
"It's a damn nuisance. They keep coming into the tavern but I throw them out. (University) students are better behaved.
"It's frustrating and it upsets the locals who are good people and we just don't want this type of behaviour in the area.
"They are aged between 30 to 55 years and they are no-hopers. Some of them are helping with concrete work but the others are unemployed.
"They're from South Auckland. I'd like to send them back to where they came from,'' he said.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Nalder said the weekend's operation was a success. People were accepting when they were arrested, along Riccarton Rd and in Victoria St in the central city, because they knew they had breached liquor bans.
"People get so drunk that they can't even behave themselves in a public place and tend to do silly things. One person ran across the road in front of a car and people were drinking in groups at bus stops.
"They think they are being clever but they are a danger to themselves and to road users. It's not worth it.
"Staff have been tasked with preventing alcohol-fuelled crime. We have the same amount of staff working but the focus is on drinking in public places and alcohol.
"A majority were walking down the road drinking and their behaviour caught the attention of the police,'' he said.
As part of the crackdown, police are targeting bars in Victoria St, Riccarton Rd, Lincoln Rd and around The Palms in Shirley.
