Plans for a new venue, ‘DropKicks,’ above Sal’s (where Dive Bar was) have been hit with a curveball. Two community groups objected to the building’s liquor licence application, meaning their grand opening will have to wait until after a hearing. The hearing has caused a rift in the Dunedin music community, with both sides claiming to be on the side of safety for students.
One of the groups who objected to the licence is old mate Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). The group are most memorable for contributing to the downfall of Eleven Bar (now Residency), though they have both opposed and supported the licence applications of several other bars around town. The other group objecting DropKicks’ application remains a mystery. The DCC is unable to confirm their identity until the agenda for the hearing is confirmed and is made public.
Standard practice following a liquor licence application objection is for a hearing to take place. Pending the hearing, Loboski Venues Ltd – Errick’s owners and the would-be owners of DropKicks – had to push their planned opening gig, which was scheduled for August 31st.
The group’s (rather long) objection letter, submitted on August 21st, took issue with the media coverage that had built up around DropKicks before the venue opened. Their argument is that the applicants were “alarmingly presumptuous.”
The supposed presumptive nature of the venue’s announcement created a “tremendous discord among Dunedin’s vulnerable student and youth community.” According to SSDP, this calls into question the “suitability” of the applicant. “There's absolutely no way they're suitable – and once again it'll be students who experience the harm [...] issues of overcrowding and poor alcohol control resulting in excessive intoxication at another venue they operate […] decreases their suitability.”
Loboski Venues Ltd co-owner Milli Lobo told Critic, “While I don’t want to comment on the objections/groups that have made the objections themselves, I do want to say that we respect the process we need to go through.” A DCC Spokesperson has said that a “hearing date for this matter is yet to be set. It’s likely to be in about six weeks’ time and will be considered by Dunedin’s District Licensing Committee.”
Talking to student safety, Milli said, “I believe that we all want the same outcome: safe spaces for our community […] With DropKicks, we want to offer a safer option to people to enjoy live music and entertainment. This is the same vision that we already implement at our other business, Errick’s.” This vision will come under scrutiny by a licensing panel of two independent commissioners, a community representative and two city councillors, according to a DCC spokesperson.
Police have historically been involved in these hearings. Sergeant Steve Jones, who is focused on alcohol harm prevention in the city, told Critic, “The Police perspective is that the purpose of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 exists to benefit the community as a whole. The legislation quite rightly enables the public to have their say when it comes to alcohol licence applications.” Jones was unable to comment any further on the issue.
Despite the objection, SSDP has held firm that they still want there to be a student bar, yet stated, “SSDP doesn't just want student bars back, we want well managed student bars back to stay. We don't think there's a chance of this applicant achieving that.”
OUSA President Keegan Wells took issue with this perspective, stating, “While DropKicks won’t solve all the issues […] it is incomprehensible to me that anyone would be against it [...] It’s quite disheartening and upsetting to see the ‘sensible students’ be against a liquor licence when it is the one thing that everyone has talked about for the last two to three years.”
Milli said, “DropKicks is about the music, about the community, and about making a change in Dunedin. Our events are not about the venue, the location or the alcohol – our mission will carry on regardless.” Both parties await a hearing date to determine if DropKicks gets its licence, and if you get to put on those kicks you had eyed up for the grand opening.