City of Cape Town amends liquor trading by-law commencing 1 April

Friday, 9 March, 2012
Cluver Markotter Inc.
On the 29th of February the City of Cape Town passed an amendment to its by-law on Liquor Trading Days and Hours approved in 2010.
The amended by-law will come into operation on the 1st of April, when the Western Cape Liquor Act will also commence. The Act provides for municipalities to determine days and hours for liquor sales.

Businesses with off-consumption liquor licenses such as wine estates, supermarkets and liquor stores may sell liquor on Monday to Saturday between 09h00 and 18h00.

The amended by-law will only allow wineries to sell bottled wine on Sundays.

In respect of businesses with on-consumption liquor licenses such as restaurants, hotels, clubs etc. the hours are from 11h00 to 23h00 in residential areas or areas which include both residential and business properties.

In general business areas and industrial areas liquor sales will be allowed from 11h00 until 02h00.

The by-law includes an amendment which allows licensed businesses to serve sparkling wine from 08h00 to 11h00 as part of a meal during an organised function in order to accommodate champagne breakfasts.

The amended by-law makes provision for businesses with on-consumption liquor licenses such as restaurants and clubs to apply for an extension of their hours. It is expected that clubs which currently trade until 04h00 will apply in order to have their hours extended to continue to do so.

According to Danie Cronjé, the Director of Liquor Law services at Cluver Markotter Inc. the by-law unfortunately does not allow for off-consumption licensed businesses such as wine estates, supermarkets and liquor stores to apply for an extension in order to keep on trading until 20h00 as they currently do.

“This means tourists visiting wine estates around Cape Town and Somerset West will not be allowed to do wine tasting or buy bottled wine after 18h00 on an early summer evening.”

The default liquor sales hours in the Western Cape Liquor Act, which will apply in areas where municipalities have not yet put by-laws in place, allow holders of off-consumption liquor licenses to apply for an extension of the trading hours from 18h00 to 20h00.