The Ivy has once again topped the list of NSW's most violent venues (which is weird, because it looks like such a nice place).
The George Street venue recorded 26 assaults in the past year, which, yeah, is probably a few too many. As such, it's the only licensed venue in the state to be hit with level one licensing restrictions (reserved for venues with more than 19 violent incidents in a year).
The restrictions are no joke — the venue must abide by a 2am lockout, and ban shots and premixed drinks containing over 5 per cent alcohol after midnight (there is apparently a very fine line between Sydney clubbers and Gremlins).
20 more venues recorded more than 12 violent incidents in the past year. All venues apart from the Ivy will be on level two restrictions from December 1, meaning they must stop serving alchohol 30 minutes before closing, not use glassware after midnight, and provide 'alcohol time-outs' or free water and food for 10 minutes each hour after midnight.
Hospitality Minister George Souris isn't satisifed with these restrictions, though — he's told the Sydney Morning Herald that he's "seeking legislative amendments" to the Liquor Act to allow for "special powers" to impose license conditions earlier than midnight for high-risk venues.
Here they are, then — your most violent venues:
The Ivy (26 violent incidents)
Waratah Hotel, Mudgee (18)
Cheeky Monkeys, Byron Bay (16)
Cocktails Bar and Niteclub, Lismore (16)
New Brighton Hotel, Manly (15)
Mean Fiddler, Rouse Hill (15)
Roxy Hotel, Parramatta (15)
Shore Club Hotel, Manly (14)
PJ's Irish Pub, Parramatta (14)
Scruffy Murphy's, CBD (14)
Imperial Hotel, Tamworth (14)
Sphere, Sutherland (14)
The World Bar, Kings Cross (14)
Penrith RSL, Penrith (13)
Lone Pine Tavern, Rooty Hill (13)
The Macarthur Tavern, Campbelltown (13)
It's worth noting, of course, that we're simply talking about aggregates here — if you factor in the sheer amount of people that pass through The Ivy's doors each year, are its 26 violent incidents really much worse than the handful of violent incidents at your sparsely attended local?
