Knysna publishes draft by-law on liquor trading hours

Friday, 3 August, 2012
Cluver Markotter Incorporated
Knysna Municipality recently published its draft By-law on Liquor Trading Days and Hours. Interested parties had until the 26th of July to submit their comments.
The draft by-law makes provision for sale of bottled wine by wine cellars from 09h00 to 18h00 Monday to Sunday.

Liquor stores, supermarkets and wine shops will be able to sell liquor between 09h00 and 18h00 Monday to Saturday but not on Sunday.

Businesses with on-consumption liquor licence such as bars, sport clubs, night clubs, pubs and taverns will be allowed to sell liquor from 11h00 to 02h00 on Monday to Saturday and from 11h00 to 23h00 on Sunday.

Restaurants however will only be allowed to sell from 11h00 to 23h00.

According to Danie Cronjé, the Director of Liquor Law at Cluver Markotter Incorporated restaurant businesses are expected to challenge this distinction between other on-consumption licensed premises and restaurants on the basis that it is more likely that liquor abuse will occur at businesses such as bars, clubs and taverns than at restaurants.

The by-law make provision for hotels and casino’s to sell liquor 24hrs a day.

The temporary licences issued for special events will allow for liquor sales from 11h00 to 23h00 on Monday to Thursday, from 11h00 to 24h00 on Friday and Saturday and from 11h00 to 22h00 on Sunday.

As the Western Cape Liquor Act now also makes provision for temporary licences for off-consumption wine sales to sell bottled wine to visitors at wine festivals the by-law allows for the same trading hours as for on-consumption sales.

According to Cronje this will be good news to the organisers of wine festivals and other events where participating wineries offer wine for tasting and sales.