Manly to trial "Kings Cross" like radio network
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslo ... 7061818183
Manly Council to trial radio network for late-night venues in the CBD
TOM WESTBROOK MANLY DAILY SEPTEMBER 18, 2014 12:00AM
A radio network is set to link late-night venues in Manly so they can coordinate their response to drunken troublemakers.
It will allow managers at pubs and bars in the Manly CBD to talk to each other directly and
RADIO PLAN ANNOUNCED FOR MANLY PUBS
Manly Council hopes to have the network active for a trial on the October long weekend and the move has been welcomed by police, licenced venues and the Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor Jean Hay said it will be “another cog” in the effort to improve night-time safety.
“It’s a good way for the licenced venues to keep in touch with each other,” she said.
Northern Beaches local area commander Superintendent Dave Darcy was helped to develop the idea.
“This is a great initiative that allows us to identify aggressive people who inevitably make life unpleasant for people if they’re not excluded from hotels or spoken to by police,” he said.
Supt Darcy said police would have “indirect access” to the radio channel and that it would help them to work together with publicans, council rangers and street pastors to make Manly safer.
Ged Dore, who manages Hotel Steyne on The Corso said that while alcohol-related violence had reduced in Manly, there were still problems after drinkers leave the pub.
“On a Friday or a Saturday, we probably refuse entry to about 150 people and ask another 150 to leave … this would allow us to give other venues a heads-up,” he said.
“When customers know it’s there and it becomes general knowledge, it just changes the culture.”
Justin Tynan, the licensee of the Manly Wharf Hotel, also welcomed the radio network and said the members of the Manly liquor accord had been pushing for it.
“We’d radio say The Steyne or The Ivanhoe and give them a description if we had any problems,” he said.
Manly Chamber of Commerce president Mark Stanley and The Corso precinct community forum chair, Hania Norman, both backed the idea.
Mr Stanley said that the chamber would support any move to improve safety and Ms Norman said it was a “great idea”.
“It’s really good for all the pubs to talk to each other about anybody causing a nuisance if they continue on to the next bar and keep causing grief,” she said.
The network will be funded by a $12,500 grant from the NSW Attorney-General Crime Prevention Division.