Residents and visitors who enjoy a glass of beer or wine with their meals will welcome the Mid-Western Regional Council’s decision to allow local restaurants and cafes to serve alcohol in footpath dining areas.
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Amendments to the council’s policy for business use of footpaths will allow licensed premises to sell alcohol to patrons with meals.
The amendment is in response to calls by Mudgee Regional Tourism, the Chamber of Commerce, Wine Grape Growers Association and affected eateries to lift a drinking ban in on-street dining areas.
The groups argued that Mudgee’s image as a premier food and wine growing region was not reflected in the restricted service of alcohol at on-street venues.
Under the previous rules, diners could only be served alcohol only if they were seated inside the premises, a situation which Mudgee Region Tourism CEO Cara George described as “incongruous” for a wine region with over 40 wineries/cellar doors, a boutique brewery and distillery.
Although some concerns have been expressed about the social impact of serving alcohol with alfresco meals, an online poll conducted by the Mudgee Guardian in 2015 found that 92 per cent of 291 online voters were in favour of the change.
Supporters argued that the move would bring the Mudgee region into line with regional neighbours.
They pointed out that enjoying a drink at an outdoor cafe is long-established tradition in European towns and cities.
Food and wine are the lynchpin of tourism promotion in the Mid-Western Region. Earlier this year, the Mudgee Wine Grape Growers Association launched its inaugural food and drink trail, and Mudgee Region Tourism’s “Reset Your Senses” campaign focuses heavily on the region’s wine and food.
Major promotions at Balmoral and Pyrmont each year also centre around the pairing of local wines and food. No wonder then, that visitors who are drawn to the area to experience the combination of food, wine and the local scenery have been confounded to learn that they cannot enjoy all three together.
The changes to the footpath policy make visitors’ experience of the Mid-Western Region more enjoyable, and complements the efforts of tourism bodies to build the reputation of the region’s products.