Anti alcohol groups have rubbished a plan by one of Sydney’s busiest hotels to ban the sale of pre mixed drinks -- claiming it's nothing more than 'window dressing.'
The Steyne Hotel at Manly will trial the idea for three months to see if it curbs binge drinking and violence.
Daryl Smeaton from the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation says it will make very little difference.
"It’s probably better regarded as being a bit of window dressing," Mr Smeaton said.
"If they’re not going to, for example, stop serving double shots or other things, then I’m not sure it will make a lot of difference."
HcHugh Holdings , the company responsible for Manly's Styene Hotel, said today it was prepared to try anything to stem the tide of violence at its popular Sydney pub.
Steven Speed, a spokesperson for McHugh, said the three-month ban would be a "social experiment" to see whether the pre-mixed drinks were linked to violence and binge drinking.
Mr Speed told 2GB’s Luke Bona that the result of the trial would be interesting to watch.
“We’ve taken responsibility to take these out to see exactly what effect it does have, or whether it does have any effect at all,” Mr Speed said.
He said the new tax increase had increased the price of premixed drinks to over $10 a drink.
The two other pubs owned by McHugh which sell premixed drinks, the Columbian and Kinselas on Oxford St, would not as yet be affected.
Manly Councillor Pat Daley was quick to support the hotel.
In an interview with LIVENEWS.com.au, Mr Daley said the move could be a catalyst for other hotels to follow suit.
"The Steyne Hotel should be commended for this - we should be working with hotels not against them in combating the increasing problem of binge drinking," Mr Daley said.
The pub will also ban the drinks from being sold in its bottle shops after 8pm each night.
McHugh is hoping the tough action will improve the pub's public image after it was ranked the fourth most violent by police earlier this year.