Alice Springs pubs, restaurants and bars have slammed a decision by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission that require patrons to purchase a meal when ordering a full-strength drink.

In its ruling, the commission decreed that from 11:30am until 3pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, full-strength liquor must not be supplied, sold, served or consumed on the premises except when served with a full meal, as distinct from a light meal.

In the Northern Territory, a full-strength drink is classified as having 3.99 per cent ABV.

The 20 venues affected are Flavours of India, Lasseters Hotel Casino, Alice Springs Golf Club, Grill Me Crazy, Club Eastside, The Epilogue Lounge, The Tropic of Capricorn Restaurant, Gillen Club, Bella Alice, Double Tree by Hilton Alice Springs, Uncles Tavern, Diplomat Hotel, Gap View Hotel, Mercure Alice Springs Resort, Todd Tavern, The NT Rock Bar, The Locals, Bojangles Saloon and Dining Room, Sporties Café & Restaurant and Simply Korean.

The commission has also recommended Todd Tavern, The Rock Bar, Bojangles, and Uncles Tavern introduce on-site ID systems to prevent people with banning orders from being served.

The decision follows the introduction of takeaway-free Mondays in early 2023.

The commission noted in its findings that there was an entrenched pattern of widespread, public anti-social behaviour during weekday afternoons in the Alice Springs CBD, with much of this anti-social behaviour is directly associated with drinking
at CBD venues.

“The Commission is satisfied that people who have been drinking at CBD venues make a significant contribution to the disturbingly high incidence of anti-social behaviour at the Yeperenye Centre around the time when Alice Springs takeaway outlets open on weekdays.

“The marked increase of anti-social behaviour at the Yeperenye Centre on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays is causally
associated with the fact that during the week all the takeaway outlets in Alice Springs open at 3pm on those days, but do not open on Mondays and Tuesdays.”

Hospitality NT CEO Cathy Simmonds told ABC News: “We are very disappointed by the decision to continue down this path, but we are not particularly surprised given the conduct of the liquor commission in its present form.

“It is one thing to vary the conditions for one licence. It is really unprecedented for the commission to add conditions for 20 in one go without it being a disciplinary act.”

She added that “most tourists and most Territorians drink responsibly”.

NT Police Southern Commander James Gray-Spence said: “This decision is data-driven. Other businesses had observed an increase in incidents between Wednesday and Friday, and our observations confirm that trend.”