Melbourne ban for 'impromptu beer gardens'
Melburnians "turning footpaths into impromptu beer gardens" have been slammed by Premier Daniel Andrews while announcing new restrictions on takeaway alcohol.
Mr Andrews says people will not be allowed to remove their masks to drink takeaway alcohol from 11:59pm on Monday, while announcing a 9pm to 5am curfew and a two-week lockdown extension.
Police handed out up to 100 fines over the weekend to people not abiding by the public health orders, including a takeaway-drink pub craw in Richmond and a 200-person street party in Northcote.
"We have seen people turning the footpath into an impromptu beer garden and doing pub crawls. We've seen people gathering in parks in large numbers," Mr Andrews said.
"You will no longer be able to remove your mask to drink a cocktail at a pop-up beer garden on a footpath as part of a pub crawl."
He said a number of licensed venues in Melbourne were under investigation, with reviews underway into the terms of their licences.
"It devalues the work of thousands of publicans and restaurant owners and bar owners, the good work they are doing, diligently following COVID-19-safe protocols providing takeaway," he said.
However, one pub has hit back after being publicly shamed in media reports and by Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton, after people were seen gathered on the street outside The Peacock on the weekend.
The Northcote pub has been closed for the entire sixth lockdown, with owner Andrew Gibson saying the venue has now lost functions, bookings and their Google reviews are being flooded with abusive comments after it was wrongly targeted.
He said music was played by an apartment opposite the pub with people gathered outside on the street, and "we had no idea that was happening at the time".
"We didn't know people were hanging out at the front of the pub. For our name to be put out there as if we've organised a street party is just so inaccurate, it's ridiculous," Mr Gibson told AAP.
"The Peacock hasn't had anything to do with any gatherings. We haven't been open for takeaway at all. We've been shut since the 5th of August.
"We don't condone any of that behaviour at all. That's the reason we're not doing takeaway drinks."
Mr Patton says officers will be patrolling public spaces, parks and public transport to ensure people are adhering to health orders, as Operation Shielding is relaunched.
"If you think you can go to the park and sit down and have drinks with friends, you think you can go to a public place and sit around and ignore the CHO guidelines, this weekend you will see a huge blitz," he said.
"If anyone gets a warning moving on from here, they will be very lucky. The time for discretion is over."
