Restaurants and guesthouses were the biggest beneficiaries of the COP17 conference in Durban during the past twee weeks. The accommodation industry expected to benefit by the tune of R500m, but the acting head of Durban’s strategic projects unit, Sue Bannister, said that it was closer to R1billion. Liquor sales at both restaurants, hotels (including guesthouses, B&B’s, lodges), pubs and bars were reported to be excellent. Restaurants (including coffee shops) provided 495000 meals, while accommodation was fully booked during the 14-day conference with approximately 160000 bed-nights. (Article by Times Live, edited by LiquorWise)

Amongst the Cape Town Hotels, the five star One&Only Cape Town Resort in South Africa takes dinner at the famous Reuben’s Restaurant up a notch with a Sommelier’s Table that is a fascinating showcase of the resort’s extensive wine collection. There’s no denying that aside from the world-class facilities at the luxurious One&Only Cape Town Resort that a large part of the attraction at this urban hotel is the prospect of dining at two of the best restaurants in the city namely Nobu Cape Town and Reuben’s. A new development at the One&Only Cape Town is the launch of its top Sommelier’s Table at Reuben’s. Guests up to 12 at any one time are offered a private dining experience at the restaurant while being hosted by internationally renowned sommelier Luvo Ntezo or his well-versed colleague Tinashe Nyamudoka. With a plus-5000 bottle strong wine and Champagne collection at his disposal and a healthy thirst for discovering new and interesting wines, Luvo is a fascinating host and warm raconteur of cellar tales from his many wine adventures. The Sommelier Table experience has a delightful laidback flavour to it that both aficionados and enthusiastic new wine lovers will appreciate. On arrival at Reuben’s, Sommelier Table guests will meet their host in the impressive three-floor, all-glass, climate-controlled cellar. Here they will enjoy a ‘blind tasting’ ice breaker – perhaps sampling an interesting new find or a wine that is perfectly primed for enjoying that day. Guests will be given a cellar tour and will be able to ask Luvo or Tinashe any questions they may have about this impressive collection of both local and international wines and Champagnes. Light tapas-style snacks will be served in the cellar before guests move to the nearby private dining table for their dinner. Consulting with Reuben and his chef lieutenant Maritz Jacobs as to the best dishes of the day and the latest fresh produce that has been sourced is very much a part of the One&Only sommelier approach and one that has led to these popular dinners. An ideal entertainment opportunity for epicureans, business persons and their clients and people looking for an out of the ordinary experience, the Sommelier Table has proved exceptionally popular and a welcome addition to the offerings at the hotel. Each evening will follow the format of a traditional tasting menu, with four carefully conceived courses, each paired with an equally special wine. Guests will be afforded the opportunity to learn about some lesser-known wine gems, to savour some of the world’s ‘big hitters’ and to enjoy an evening relishing the finer things in life in five-star surrounds. In keeping with the bespoke nature of the events, guests may also request their wine appreciation evening follows a theme or may leave things entirely in the hands of Luvo and Tinashe. Sommelier Table guests will also be given a bottle of wine of the wines tasted that evening as a keepsake. With Reuben’s star rising thanks to the success of his second cookbook, numerous TV appearances both locally and abroad and the fact that national airline carrier South African Airways recently announced a partnership with him for their business class in-flight menus, there’s no doubt that a chance to dine at his eponymous restaurant is a special occasion. Dining at the One&Only Cape Town Resort is a memorable experience. (Article by South African Hotels - Edited by Liquorwise)

Tsogo Sun Holdings, which owns and/or operates around 100 casino resorts and hotels in Africa, the Middle East and Seychelles, has warned that proposed regulatory changes by the South African Government may discourage it from further investment in the industry. It stated in its six month-report till the end of September : Despite a difficult trading environment for gaming and hotels, the group remains highly cash-generative and has significant opportunities to invest capital in its growth strategy at attractive rates of return. The ability to continue to pursue such investments will depend on the final outcome of, and impact from, the variety of proposed regulatory changes by Government.”It warned: “Regulatory risks represent a threat to the group with possible changes to tax regulations and an increased cost burden of compliance with various imposed regulations being the most significant. The integration of the Gold Reef properties into the Tsogo group was largely complete. It also recorded the purchase of The Grace (shown above) in Rosebank for R85-million and said it had also reached agreement for the acquisition of an additional 16.5% effective interest in the Suncoast Casino in KZN for R510 million, bringing the total ownership of that operation to 90%. This acquisition remains subject to approval by the KwaZulu-Natal Gambling Board. TheTsogo Sun Emonti, a subsidiary company of the group, started trading under its new gaming licence on 26 September and construction has begun on the R400 million redevelopment of the Hemingways casino, East London. The first half of the financial year saw accelerated growth in revenue across many of the group’s casinos. Hotels, which benefited from the World Cup in June and July 2010, had shown revenue decline on the prior period, as would be expected, although the effect was exaggerated in the six-month reporting period and would have less impact on the full year. The underlying operations of the group remain highly geared towards the South African consumer (in gaming) and the corporate market (in hotels) with both sectors experiencing difficult trading conditions and increased administered costs. “The group is poised for growth if these sectors of the South African economy improve. “Regulatory risks represent a threat to the group with possible changes to tax regulations and an increased cost burden of compliance with various imposed regulations being the most significant. “The group continues to engage with the various regulatory bodies and other Government departments to ensure that proposed changes are warranted and capable of being implemented without having a negative impact on both current and new investment in the industry and consequently on employment levels.” Tsogo Sun reported that the hotel industry in South Africa was still experiencing the dual impact of depressed demand and over supply, with overall industry occupancies of around 52% for the six months to September. “The group`s hotels are likewise affected. However, as a result of the strong sales and distribution channels available within the group, a significant occupancy and rate premium is being achieved in the segments in which the group operates. “With little recovery in the core corporate market, the group`s system-wide occupancies remain under pressure in South Africa at 58.9% (2010: 59.3%).” Average room rates in the total South African operations declined by 16% to R760, with virtually all the decline attributable to the higher achieved rates during the World Cup in the prior period. Operating costs were well controlled with a 3% increase on the prior period, despite regulated utility costs and property rates increases.The offshore division of hotels achieved total revenue of R153-million for the six months, representing a 21% improvement on the prior year, assisted by the inclusion of Southern Sun Nairobi as a leased hotel (previously managed) with effect from 1 August 2010. Looking ahead, Tsogo Sun said: “Despite a difficult trading environment for gaming and hotels, the group remains highly cash-generative and has significant opportunities to invest capital in its growth strategy at attractive rates of return. The ability to continue to pursue such investments will depend on the final outcome of, and impact from, the variety (Article by Hotel & Restaurant, edited by LiquorWise)

Some businesses has reacted with anger at the moratorium, calling it an exercise in futility. The MEC, Ms Mahlangu, said that her department now "had its house in order", but wanted to use its "new regime" to address the social and economic implications of liquor trading. The new system allowed for occasional and catering permits to be issued from 17 November and licensing renewals from 1 December 2011, but the moratorium on new licences would not be lifted. Businesses are saying that the Gauteng’s economic development department should have found a way to continue issuing licences while improving its systems as a lot of staff are sitting around, doing nothing." The CEO of the Federated Hospitality Association of SA, Brett Dungan, said the department should not have needed "to fix something that shouldn’t have been broken. Besides the loss of revenue for the hospitality industry, the moratorium had also been "massively inconvenient", he said. Ms Mahlangu said her department was also concerned about large retailers selling alcohol in traditionally black townships . When issuing new licences in townships for large retailers such as Spar , Pick n Pay and Woolworths, the department would "protect the interests of the small players out there", she said. "Why should we squeeze the small guy to give Woolworths a bigger margin?" she asked. However, she did not say how her department planned to do this. (Article by gernetzkyk@bdfm.co.za, edited by LiquorWise)

The Moratorium The moratorium (six month-ban) on the issuing of liquor licences in Gauteng was instituted unilaterally by MEC Mahlangu on 8 August 2011. Considering that Gauteng is the economic hub of South Africa (producing some 70% of its GDP), many businesses reacted to the news as an April’s Fool joke. They quickly realised that April had long gone! The province’s liquor board’s doors were shut to licence applications and according to Gauteng’s director of liquor Max Mothlake, they were to stay shut until well into 2012. Why a Moratorium? The Liquor Board wanted to use the moratorium to end the backlog of pending licence applications. The other big factor was that the corruption game at the board was fake licences. “If falsified licences weren’t being printed by corrupt staff internally they were being printed externally in collusion with staff members,” says Mothlake, who in March was charged with fixing the shambles. Reaction from Government MEC Mahlangu apologised for the “unforeseen” result of the moratorium on the Classic Government radio programme. She indicated that the necessity of the moratorium will be reviewed in October 2011. Reaction from Business Mr Brett Dungan(Fedhasa CEO) requested that burocratic hindrances be removed to allow business to grow. Less business activity means less tax, which impairs government (including The Liquor Board) from doing its job. Was (is) it Legal? The Application to Court Two separate applications were submitted and argued during September 2011 in the North Gauteng High Court in an effort to declare the moratorium illegal. Regrettably for business, they were unsuccessful by reason of technical legalities. However, this was enough to stop any further costly challenges by business. Effect on Business In General The applicants to court presented evidence of estimates that they will lose up to R350 000 per month due to the moratorium. This is due to the loss of liquor sales, as well as the public supporting licensed restaurants. The Moratorium has also brought development in Gauteng’s hospitality market to a halt. Sales of businesses involving liquor licences are frozen and opening of new establishments halted. Some active businesses have been waiting two years for their permanent licences. All functions requiring a temporary liquor licence (“occasional permit”) will not be able to serve liquor. Pretoria University’s annual spring day festival was cancelled because the organisers could not secure a liquor licence. Franchise Groups Keg Franchise - Food and restaurant franchise conglomerate Famous Brands’ efforts to revamp its Keg pub brand have been stymied by the Gauteng Liquor Board’s decision to freeze all new liquor licence applications until next year. Famous Brands bought 28 Keg and five McGinty’s franchised outlets from Kingco in late 2010 in a R27m deal that added a leisure component to the company’s mainly fast food offering. At the time Famous brands conceded the Keg brand needed “renovation and innovation”, but plans for a revamp have been put on hold. Famous Brands CEO Kevin Hedderwick says a newly re-branded Keg in Johannesburg’s northern suburbs, which is central to plans to convince franchise holders to convert to a new trading format, cannot open its doors until the board lifts the moratorium on applications for new liquor licences. Hedderwick says developments are most frustrating. “We’d love to show our franchisees how good the new look for the Keg is ... We wanted to show them where the new brand is headed.” Instead Famous Brands is lumped with a lease that has to be serviced and has incurred development costs with no way of generating cash flows. Hedderwick is hopeful the board will reopen applications in early February. However, the end of the moratorium in early February will begin with a phased reopening of licence applications — which means it might still be a long wait before first round is called in the new-look Keg. Spur Franchise group - “We planned to open up to 10 restaurants each with 60 staff before the end of the year,” says Spur Corp MD Pierre van Tonder. “Without liquor licences it’s impossible.” SAB Miller - Egoli region GM Leonard Volschenk says Gauteng liquor board estimates suggest there are 10000 fraudulent liquor licences in the province. About 15000 legitimate licences have been issued. Volschenk points to the problem SAB faces in supplying liquor outlets with suspect licences. “Only the liquor board [can] confirm whether a licence is valid and it has been unwilling to engage in a verification process,” he says. Some light on the Liquor Licensing Horizon ? The sixth-month liquor licence moratorium on temporary(occasional) liquor licences is to be lifted from 17 November. The moratorium on new liquor licences remains in place, economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu told reporters on 15 November. She said stringent measures had been introduced to curb the issuing of fraudulent licences. The Moratorium had allowed the department to improve its efficiency and to solve problems relating to the liquor licensing process. These included the issuing of fraudulent documents. “Stringent measures have been introduced to curb the issuing of fraudulent licences [and] to date we are confident that no fraudulent licences have been issued,” Mahlangu said. The department was about halfway through dealing with a backlog of about 2450 applications. A new IT and business processing system had been designed to handle applications and would be in place for occasional and catering permits from Thursday. She said liquor licence renewals for 2011/12 would begin on 1 December 2011. Don’t get too excited Businesses hoping for normality to be restored next February 8 should prepare themselves for more frustration. The moratorium’s end will not result in the liquor board’s doors being opened in a business-as-usual way. It will be a phased reopening. “We don’t want to be flooded by an unmanageable volume of applications,” says Mothlake Have the floodgates been opened? The question on many people’s lips are whether the success enjoyed by the Gauteng Liquor Board now sets a precedent for any of the remaining 8 provinces to follow suit? The answer wasn’t long to be forthcoming – North West province announced a moratorium on tavern licence applications soon after the moratorium was unsuccessfully challenged in the Gauteng High Court. All have gone quiet from the other provinces for now, but don’t be surprised if the silence doesn’t last very long – the new Western Cape Liquor Act and the Kwazulu Natal Liquor Act will be implemented in 2012. Watch this space!

The sixth-month liquor licence moratorium on temporary(occasional) liquor licences will be lifted from 17 November. The moratorium on new liquor licences remains in place, economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu told reporters on 15 November. She said stringent measures had been introduced to curb the issuing of fraudulent licences. The moratorium took effect in August to allow the department to improve its efficiency and to solve problems relating to the liquor licensing process. These included the issuing of fraudulent documents. The department was about halfway through dealing with a backlog of about 2450 applications. A new IT and business processing system had been designed to handle applications and would be in place for occasional and catering permits from Thursday. "Stringent measures have been introduced to curb the issuing of fraudulent licences [and] to date we are confident that no fraudulent licences have been issued," Mahlangu said. She said liquor licence renewals for 2011/12 would begin on December 1. (A News24 Article, edited by LiquorWise)

A spokesperson for the Gauteng Economic Development MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, at an Economic Development Portfolio Committee meeting in the Gauteng Legislature on Friday last week, let slip that the moratorium placed by the MEC on the issuing of liquor licenses, will be lifted ahead of the six months originally envisaged. All role players in the hospitality industry will welcome the end to this unpopular, unilateral and probably illegal ban. It will be a welcome boost for the tourism industry ahead of the December holiday period. We will have to wait to see which changes were implemented at the Liquor Board in order to stop corruption, which was one of the main reasons given for the announcement of the moratorium. We will have to see what the full details of the lifting of the moratorium are before getting overly optimistic. LiquorWise will keep the public up to date. Visit the LiquorWise Website - the most comprehensive liquor licensing website in South Africa (and more is still to come ..!!)

David Coutts-Trotter, Sun International CEO, has resigned from Sun International with immediate effect. Undisclosed personal reasons lay behind the decision. The group, which is blessed with a depth of management expertise, has appointed its gaming operations director, Garth Collins, as CE until a new CE can be appointed. Collins is a Sun International veteran, having been with the group for over 40 years. Coutts-Trotter served as deputy under Peter Bacon for three years from 2003 - 2006. However, he has been with the group for far longer, joining Kersaf Investments, once Sun International’s holding company, in 1994. He has enjoyed a successful tenure as CE. He has overseen the expansion of Sun International into both West Africa and South America. He has also overseen licence reapplications for various group properties, as well as major refurbishments, (notably the Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth) currently undergoing a R1bn expansion and the Wild Coast Sun, nearing the completion of a R400m upgrade Coutts-Trotter was a popular leader, particularly with middle management and the rank-and-file who liked his informal management style. That does not imply that he was a soft touch. He was “robust, frank and successful” and could at times be eye-wateringly honest. He dislikes the limelight. The company also released an update for the quarter to the end of September. Casino revenue was up 7% compared to the same period last year. This was driven mainly by rapid growth at Monticello, while GrandWest, Carnival City and Sibaya achieved revenue growth of 5%, 4% and 8% respectively. Rooms revenue was in line with last year at R223m but occupancy, at 62% was 3% lower. The Cape Town market in particular is having a torrid time with occupancies at the Table Bay declining from 40% last year to 30% this year. If there is a silver lining in this it is the fact that if one removed the FIFA World Cup effect last year, rooms revenues would have grown 7% in the quarter. The group achieved an EBITDA margin of 25.0% which was 2.4% lower than last year. This is unsurprising in the current environment, and reflects slow revenue growth and the fact that expenses are growing faster than revenue. “This performance is entirely market related,” says Stanlib’s Shawn Stockigt. He prefers to dwell on the positives however. While local growth is slow, the group’s Chilean operation, devastated by the earthquakes last year, is starting to make a contribution to profits. And other initiatives – such as the plan to build a hotel and casino in Nigeria – and bode well for future growth. “We don’t like it when management changes as suddenly as this, but this is a good company, with good prospects and management change happens,” he says. (Moneyweb article, edited by LiquorWise)

$443,000 worth of wine was sold at the on-site store at the World Wine and Food Expo at the Moncton Coliseum during its operating hours over the weekend and $92,000 of that in the store's first operating hour. Bill Vance, sommelier and chairman of the event said that the expo has once again shocked organizers and it's not just because of the record sales, it's because of its popularity. "The weekend was the biggest weekend ever, sales and attendance were up," he said.Somehow the word is getting out that this is the place to be to be for education on wine and food, said Vance. "There were a lot of new people, a lot of first timers and what we noted was they were from all over the province. I have no doubt that the people who came for the first time will be back." The grand tastings, on Friday and Saturday afternoons and evenings, saw a stunning increase in attendance, he said. "We had about 5,500, which is easily above 10 per cent from last year." Everyone involved was surprised. "We were very surprised by it, obviously very happy about it, but it took all of us and the wine agents from around the Maritimes, it took everybody off guard," he said. The grand tasting brought in a younger crowd, but a very respectful crowd, said Vance. "It was a lot of fun. It was a very social event, for sure. But very well behaved and people were respectful of the people working in the booths, which is very nice to see in a younger crowd." This year's expo saw a lot of new and successful events, one of which was the internationally famous Riedel Crystal wine-tasting seminar at the downtown Empress Theatre last Monday. "The Riedal tasting, with (Doug Cohn) from New York city," said Vance. "That was really high end and a once in a lifetime opportunity to get that calibre of glasses at a price that we could sell at a reasonable price." Over the week, they were approached by many people who'd attended the Riegal tasting and who said they were so impressed with it, said Vance. "They said that by far it was the most extraordinary wine experience they'd ever had." Having Food Network star Laura Calder in town for a few days was a really nice addition to the expo, said Vance. "She doesn't seem to have any idea really of how popular she is and how much people like her, and I think she was really overwhelmed by that experience." Often times, people like Calder fly into a city, do a book signing, then take off later that day. But because she was here for a few days, she really got to sit back and take it all in, said Vance. "She really got a sense to see what her impact is on (people). People were coming up to her book signing at the Coliseum on Friday and buying every one of her cookbooks, having her sign them all and having their pictures taken with her." Her trip to Moncton will stick with her, said Vance. "She left Moncton on Friday afternoon at four o'clock, and I can honestly that I don't think she'll ever forget her trip here." They'd like build on the Calder experience for next year and bring other stars to the city, said Vance. "We'd like to do that again next year, of course with a different author." The first day of the expo, Oct. 29, saw a prestige tasting at Tait House, which was a quick sell out and was a great way to kick off the week, the chairman said. "Just a beautiful dinner. Chris MacAdam, as far as I'm concerned, served the best meal I've ever had from him." The expo has a partnership with several charities and proceeds from ticket sales, coat checks and tickets on items like wine fridges are donated. The Tree of Hope campaign, Sistema, the Capitol Theatre Foundation and the Fyffe Foundation all benefit. "The funds (the Tree of Hope campaign) collected were up quite a bit from last year," said Vance. The overall sales from the on-site store at last year's expo was $486,000, which was the highest on record, and $416,000 in 2009. Sales are down from last year, but that's a give-in with the state of the economy, said Nora Lacey, manager of communications for the New Brunswick Liquor Commission. "Given the challenges we are facing with the economy, it is not entirely surprising that we are down slightly from the record high last year," she said. As wine continues to be a growth category for NB Liquor, any remaining expo products were expected to sell in NB Liquor stores over the coming weeks. "The remaining festival product is distributed to the top wine stores in the province," she explained.The expo isn't just about drinking wine and making money,said Lacey. "The expo is a great opportunity to educate our customers about the different types of wine available here in New Brunswick, and it's a good opportunity for the supplier community to be able to showcase their brands in such a unique setting like the World Wine and Food Expo." (Article by Times&Transcript Canada East - Edited by LiquorWise)

The province’s liquor board’s doors are shut to licence applications and will stay shut until well into 2012, says Gauteng’s director of liquor Max Mothlake. Gauteng hospitality businesses seeking a liquor licence are in for a long wait. The province’s liquor board’s doors are shut to licence applications and will stay shut until well into 2012, says Gauteng’s director of liquor Max Mothlake. The hospitality sector is the victim of mismanagement at the liquor board, on which the auditor-general blew the whistle in 2010. Added was a liberal dose of corruption, which forced Gauteng economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu to fire the board’s previous members and as from August 8 institue a moratorium for 6 months. This brought development in Gauteng’s hospitality market to a halt. Sales of businesses involving liquor licences are frozen and opening of new establishments halted. “We planned to open up to 10 restaurants each with 60 staff before the end of the year,” says Spur Corp MD Pierre van Tonder. “Without liquor licences it’s impossible.” High court judge Julius Matojane ruled against an application to overturn the licence moratorium. Expressing the sector’s frustration Van Tonder says: “Legitimate, job-creating businesses are punished because of illegal actions [at the liquor board]”. The corruption game at the board was fake licences. “If falsified licences weren’t being printed by corrupt staff internally they were being printed externally in collusion with staff members,” says Mothlake, who in March was charged with fixing the shambles. SAB Egoli region GM Leonard Volschenk says Gauteng liquor board estimates suggest there are 10000 fraudulent liquor licences in the province. About 15000 legitimate licences have been issued. Volschenk points to the problem SAB faces in supplying liquor outlets with suspect licences. “Only the liquor board [can] confirm whether a licence is valid and it has been unwilling to engage in a verification process,” he says. The chairperson of the Liquor Board said the an IT system is being installed, which would solve the problem of fake licences being issued. It would enable applications to be submitted online. Businesses hoping for normality to be restored next February 8 should prepare themselves for more frustration. The moratorium’s end will not result in the liquor board’s doors being opened in a business-as-usual way. It will be a phased reopening. “We don’t want to be flooded by an unmanageable volume of applications,” says Mothlake (Financial Mail article - Edited by LiquorWise)

Robyn Chalmers, SAB head of media and communications, told Business Day recently that "SAB shares the concern of government regarding the unacceptable level of alcohol abuse in SA and we look forward to working with government to put measures in place to fight the abuse of alcohol." Chalmers said it was "not the company’s intention to encourage those who do not drink to do so, but rather, through responsible advertising, to provide consumers with the right information to make their brand choices. Advertising is also a primary tool to promote free and fair trade, and is essential to fostering innovation and product development. Without advertising, market entry is impeded and brand competition is undermined". Priscilla Singh, corporate and brand PR manager at Brandhouse — sponsors of the J&B Met horseracing event — said Brandhouse supported the enforcement of laws and heavier penalties as opposed to "ineffective advertising bans. There is good reason to believe that if alcohol advertising were completely eliminated, it would merely engender the ‘forbidden fruit syndrome’, and have the counterproductive effect of enticing young people to experiment with alcohol." Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi replied : "When you market a commodity you are saying people must buy into it. And we are saying the marketing of all those (alcohol) products is causing a problem in social, in health and in any other sphere of life." SAB has sponsorship deals with the national teams of the country’s biggest sporting codes — soccer, rugby and cricket — as well as the under-21 regional soccer league and the Fish and Duzi canoe races. It is also a supplier sponsor to Premier Soccer League outfits Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and the Super Rugby competition. (Business Day article – edited by LiquorWise)

Die Burger berig dat die omstrede konsepvoorstelle oor drankverkope laatnag en op Sondae in die Stellenbosch-omgewing weer bekyk gaan word. Die nuwe DA-beheerde stadsraad van Stellenbosch sal die konsepvoorstelle wat die vorige stadsraad goedgekeur het, ernstig heroorweeg en verwelkom die insette van die gemeenskap daaroor, sê mnr. Conrad Sidego, nuutverkose burgemeester.

Sidego het gister by navraag gesê die stadsraad is baie bewus van die diepe kommer wat voorstelle dat drank nie op Sondae verkoop mag word nie in veral die toerismebedryf veroorsaak.“Ons is deeglik bewus daarvan dat ons ’n toerismedorp in die middel van die wynlande is en hierdie stadsraad sal geen besluit neem wat die dorp, sy beeld of sy inkomste sal skaad nie.

“Daar is geen rede om opgeklits te raak nie – nugtere oorweging sal aan die kwessie gegee word,” het Sidego gesê. Vrese bestaan dat talle restaurante, veral dié op landgoedere, hul deure sal moet sluit as drankverbruik in restaurante in en om Stellenbosch op Sondae verbied word.

’n Plaaslike toerismeorganisasie win trouens reeds regsadvies in oor die kwessie. So ’n “belaglikheid” sou ’n “verleentheid” vir die gebied wees en kan verreikende gevolge hê vir die ekonomie van die gewildste wyngebied van Suid-Afrika, is aan Rapport gesê oor die konsepbesluit.

Die besluit, wat voorlopig geneem is na gelang van die impak van provinsiale wetgewing, sou nie net die verkoop en bedien van wyn op Sondae in restaurante in die dorp en op landgoedere verbied het nie, maar sluit ook ’n verbod op kroeë in om saans ná 23:00 alkohol te verkoop. Die verordening kon in elk geval nie finaal deur die stadsraad aanvaar word voordat die voorgestelde provinsiale konsepwetgewing, die Wes-Kaapse Drankwysigingswetsontwerp, in werking tree nie.

Dié wetsontwerp word tans deur die provinsiale regering hersien. Die aanvaarding van ’n Stellenbosse drank-verordening, soos die vorige stadsraad voorgestel het, sal ’n verlammende invloed op die ekonomie van die gebied hê omdat wyntoerisme 25% van die bruto ekonomiese produk hier uitmaak, sê me. Annareth Bolton, uitvoerende hoof van die toerismeorganisasie Stellenbosch Wynroetes.

Van die land se toprestaurante, wat gereeld die Eat Out-wenlys haal, is in dié gebied geleë.Sondae is van die gewildste kuierdae, sê Bolton. “Dis die dag waarop sowel plaaslike as buitelandse toeriste die wyngebied die graagste besoek om sy kos en wyn te geniet. Dit maak wynplase, restaurante en wynkelders van die grootste werkverskaffers hier.”

Bolton sê Wynroetes is in gesprek met hul regsverteenwoordiger, ’n kenner op die gebied van dranklisensiëring. Volgens mnr. Beyers Truter, eienaar van die landgoed Beyerskloof buite Stellenbosch, sal dit kortsigtig wees om die voorstel van die vorige stadsraad deur te voer en sal dit die restaurant- en toerismemark hier doodmaak.

Johannesburg - All liquor licences and permits in Gauteng will be reviewed, economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu said on Tuesday. "I believe South Africans deserve better legislation," she told a media briefing on the draft liquor policy in Johannesburg.
"[It will] improve compliance through enhanced enforcement of the liquor legislative and regulatory."

There are 30 000 liquor licences in Gauteng.Mahlangu said her department would also look at discouraging the trading of alcohol on Sundays and religious holidays.
This would address the problem of unlimited access to and consumption of liquor."I'm talking about places like Pick n Pay and Spar or any takeaway place," she said.People would still be able to buy alcohol in restaurants, shebeens and taverns.

Why are Champagne bottles so darn heavy? To fool us into thinking we’re getting more than we are? To be handy in un petit bar brawl? No! Because of their excitable contents, Champagne bottles must withstand 6 Gs of force (most humans black out at 5 or 6 Gs), and thus are thicker-walled than normal wine bottles. What does this have to do with green business? Heavy bottles mean more glass used in manufacture and more fuel burned in transportation, which adds up to more carbon released into the atmosphere. To address this problem, the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), announced yesterday the launch of a new standard Champagne bottle that is 2 ounces lighter. DON'T EVERY SAY THAT SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!

We have been monitoring the developments with regard to the World Cup liquor policy. The industry still awaits the Liquor Policy, which was to be revised before being issued for comment. The latest press statement of the Department of Trade and Industry, is the following : “It is important to note that commercial establishments such as pubs, clubs, bars etc., holding valid liquor licences are not required to obtain an additional special liquor licence, however if any commercial establishment decides to charge an admission fee specifically for the show of the games they will require permission from FIFA. The policy will not affect any rights already granted in terms of the liquor licenses issued by provincial liquor authorities”. We will keep you up to date on any further developments!