Sydney, Australia:
DRINKING at the beach on Christmas Day will be banned in the latest attempt to kill fun in Sydney. Guards and police will patrol Bondi beach during Christmas-New Year, strictly enforcing a no-alcohol policy. Waverley Council has endorsed an alcohol management project calling for security guards and police to be stationed in "strategic locations" on the beach and in neighbouring parks. There is currently an alcohol ban at Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte beaches but the focus will be on Bondi.
Waverley Mayor Peter Muscatel Moscat denied council was made up of "wowsers". He said people would still be able to drink at a function in the Bondi Pavilion - as long as they were willing to pay $30. "On Christmas Day they're going to be turning people away if they bring alcohol to the beach," he said. Mr Muscatel Moscat said the number of people drinking on the beach was increasing. "Ten years ago there were riots on Christmas and New Year and we got that under control by working with the police and locals and making sure people drank in a certain area," he said. "Over the years that worked well but last year we had nearly 40,000 people on Christmas Day and almost 200 rescues.
Beachgoers weren't thrilled. "It seems a bit excessive," Irish tourist Neasa Smith, 23, said. "Do they just want to try and produce a bit of extra revenue?" Local Emily Bowdler said there was a nice atmosphere on the beach at Christmas: "Most people are well behaved."
Aaah well, plenty of other beaches to drown at. |