Rowdies, drunks and brawlers who disturb the peace inside and out of Ladysmith drinking establishments are being put on notice that their bad behaviour won’t be tolerated.
The Town of Ladysmith was poised to adopt a Bar Watch approach to monitoring and responding to incidents in or around ‘liquor-primary establishments’ at its Monday, July 15 meeting, which took place after the Chronicle’s deadline.
Three readings of the bylaw had already been given, with final adoption being the last step needed to put the bylaw into effect.
If adopted, the bylaw will give council authority to take stern measures to control incidents that include: noisy behaviour outside a drinking establishment, vandalism, illegal activities and ‘nuisance behaviour.’
Measures that could be taken include beefed up screening of patrons entering establishments and the installation of closed circuit TV at entrances and exits to bars and pubs.
It could also include: provision of security staff and improved cooperation with the RCMP.
Municipal staff looked into the possibility of barring patrons wearing ‘Outlaw Motorcycle Gang’ colours from drinking establishments, but on advice from their solicitor, who said that kind of restriction would not be approved by the Liquor Licensing Branch without ‘compelling evidence,’ the idea was dropped.
“The Liquor Inspector is not currently aware of any issues in Ladysmith to warrant restricting wearing gang colours in any establishment,” a report to council states.
Once the bylaw is adopted bar and pub owners may be asked to sign an agreement with the Town of Ladysmith and the RCMP, recognizing that “liquor licensed establishments have a civic responsibility, beyond the requirements of the Liquor Control and Licensing Act, to control the conduct of their patrons.”