4 • THE CAMBERWELL CITIZEN • ISSUE #6
RAISING THE BAR Camberwell’s bar scene is thriving despite falling within Melbourne’s last remaining dry zone.
Camberwell’s bar scene has made a splash with locals and visitors in recent years, despite falling within Melbourne’s last remaining dry zone. The alcohol-free zone — where residents can vote directly on liquor licence applications — has restricted bars and pubs from opening throughout parts of Ashburton, Glen Iris, Camberwell, Canterbury, Box Hill, Balwyn, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills since 1920. The alcohol-free zone has been especially divisive in Camberwell, where the eastern side of the Burke Rd shopping precinct has stayed dry while licensed bars and restaurants have proliferated on the western side. The number of alcohol licenses granted to venues in Camberwell has grown by a third over the past three years. The latest figures show there were 108 liquor licences active in Camberwell in September 2019, up from 81 in January 2015, according to the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation (VCGLR). Venues including Palace Hotel, Bar None and Nineteenforty have served the community for years, however new bars such as Young’s Wine Rooms and East End have moved into the area more recently. Young’s Wine Rooms bar manager Tommy Linstead said Camberwell’s bar scene was improving and becoming more active. He said people used to have to travel into the city to enjoy Melbourne’s vibrant bars and nightlife. “What we’re trying to show, with our new neighbours and other new businesses in the area, is that you don’t have to go into the city to get this level of service and quality. It’s available closer to home now,” Mr Linstead said. Young’s Wine Rooms opened its doors at the former Young’s Auction House this year, along with its neighbour, East End Bar. Many restaurants have been granted alcohol licenses as well, with the likes of Fiorelli, Cafe Paradiso and La Cabra offering
CITIZEN
bar settings and outdoor spaces to enjoy a drink. The dry zone was created in 1920 during the anti-alcohol movement, according to Geoffrey Blainey’s A History of Camberwell. The laws required residents to attend a polling place to vote on liquor licences for restaurants and venues or face a fine. In 2015, the laws were eased so that residents were no longer needed to vote on restaurant liquor licence applications, although public polls were still necessary for pub and club licence applications. The local nightlife may develop further, following promises from the state Labor government to abolish the alcohol-free zone and bring local rules in line with the rest of Victoria.
BELOW: Young’s Wine Rooms.