Not long now…

BY KATHRYN STEANE

By the time you read this, there will be just weeks to go until the biggest sporting event in New Zealand’s history – Rugby World Cup 2011. Here’s how food outlets in and around Auckland’s Viaduct (a.k.a. Party Central) are getting on with preparing for it.

Mexicali Fresh

With its palm trees, reggae music and colourful outdoor furniture, Mexicali Fresh is definitely one of the Viaduct’s more laid-back venues. Of course, it’s this relaxed approach that the business hopes will attract visitors during the Rugby World Cup. “We used to be more of a quick-service restaurant, but what we’ve realised is that it makes more sense to have people stay,” says general manager, Jamie Mitchell. “So we’ve made it more comfortable, more inviting and set it up so that when people come in, instead of just eating a burrito and then leaving, they can stay and have another burrito or a beer.” He believes the store’s long hours and liquor license will also appeal to people. Mexicali Fresh has undergone a number of visual changes for the Rugby World Cup, including a new colour scheme (funky neon stools replace generic yellow chairs); new decking (wooden planks replace stone pavers); more seating (high tables allow extra people to sit outside); and more plants. Exterior heating has also been added, as has a larger sign “to point out Party Central; and so that the boats arriving in the harbour just think to come this way.” Finally, the business has invested in a large outdoor screen from Corona on which it will play some of the games.

As for how busy he thinks the competition period will be, Mitchell says: “I don’t think there can be any expectations for this; it’s kind of unfathomable at the moment. We’ve got projections from the Lion’s tour in 2005 and how busy it was then, so we can levy it against the Rugby World Cup; but if this is anything like that, it’s going to be madness.”

 Jamie Mitchell is all smiles about the Rugby World Cup.

No1 Queen Street Café

Situated on a prominent corner site just up the road from The Cloud, No1 Queen Street Café is sure to get some serious custom during the Rugby World Cup. Manager, Aimee Meek says that the business has been preparing for the event by offering deals through websites such as Treat Me. This has increased the number of people coming through the cafe, in turn teaching staff how to work under pressure.

Like many other food outlets in and around the city, No1 Queen Street Café will extend its opening hours during the competition. The menu, however, will be the same in the evening as it is during the day: a selection of stylish, cabinet food such as paninis and cakes, accompanied by coffee, wine and beer.

A marquee with heaters will also be set up outside; and more staff bought onboard. Meek says that while she has “no idea” what the Rugby World Cup will be like, she is excited that No1 Queen Street Café will be in on the action.
Earlier this year, Rugby Travel & Hospitality (the main promoter of the Rugby World Cup) held an event at No1 Queen Street Café to advertise the upcoming competition; complete with fake grass and an appearance by former All Black, Jeff Wilson. The cafe is also located right next to the official countdown clock for Rugby World Cup 2011.

Aimee Meek is enthusiastic about the challenge presented by the Rugby World Cup.

Sierra at the Viaduct

Just metres from the water, Sierra at the Viaduct is an enjoyable place for breakfast, coffee or lunch. And soon it will also be the spot to relax over a couple of cold ones or a late dinner, thanks to longer opening hours during the Rugby World Cup.

In order to make this change (which will see the café open until 3:00am) succeed, director Nicol Munro has had to get in touch with a brewery to arrange more alcohol (“something we weren’t moving much of before”); and start planning a new menu for in the evening (“something we’ve never done before”).

Fortunately, he has a good idea of what to expect during the game period; having attended several Rugby World Cups before. “I’ve been to four you see, so I think I know

what’s coming,” he laughs. “I think it’s going to be absolutely mad,” he adds. “I was here during the Lion’s tour and I think people have forgotten that the supporters drank the towns’ dry.” He believes the majority of people coming into the Viaduct will be groups of older men, who “eat and drink hard” – something which, by the sounds of things, his business is well prepared for.

Being the perfect host

By Don Kavanagh
On September 22, 2003, 19-year-old student William Cranswick went to the Fitz bar in Palmerston North to catch up with three friends.
The quartet were served somewhere between 64 and 96 double Bourbons between them – 16 to 24 doubles each – and then took part in an impromptu game of Bullrush, where William hit his head twice, the second time knocking himself out.
Staff did not call an ambulance, instead getting the four off the premises and locking up.
Nine hours later, an ambulance called to William’s home took him to hospital; he never regained consciousness, dying a day later in Palmerston North Hospital.
His death devastated his parents, his siblings and his girlfriend. It had no effect whatsoever on the bar, which continued trading for another five years. The duty manager was cleared of any wrongdoing by a judge.
As far as host responsibility goes, the case of William Cranswick was both a tragedy and a travesty.
How anyone could imagine that 19 and 20 year olds could possibly be capable of drinking such volumes of Bourbon and not be intoxicated is incomprehensible. That the courts decided that no offence had occurred is equally unbelievable and the decision shocked the family, police, and the licensing authority.
Even the coroner who conducted the inquest was baffled by the decision and recommended that more training be given so that bar staff could more easily recognise an intoxicated person.
The question of intoxicated people on licensed premises is still a thorny topic and there is still confusion around the definition of intoxicated. It’s easy enough to spot someone who is completely munted and refuse them service or access, but the borderline cases are tough calls.
However, they are calls that still need to be made. We all know the law, but the question is do we always observe it?
This year is a big year and not just because of the Rugby World Cup. Reform of the liquor laws is before Parliament and changes will be made by this time next year, so egregious flouting of the current laws could well lead to more draconian provisions being put into any new laws.
A police spokesman said they would keep an eye on licensing issues around the Cup as thousands of tourists flood the country and pack the bars, restaurants and licensed cafes. Part of the problem for the on-premise trade is that level of scrutiny, which is completely out of proportion, HANZ regional manager Sara Tucker says. “We’ve made huge strides in the 20 years that I’ve been involved in the industry,” she says.
“We always have to get it right when it comes to intoxication, but most of the issues around intoxication are being caused by people pre-loading. There has been a whole lot of work done in the on-premise trade, but what’s being done in the off-trade? Host responsibility seems to be only a concern for bars. Where’s the host responsibility in loss-leading alcohol in supermarkets?”
The main principles of host responsibility as defined in law include: the provision and promotion of food along with low and non-alcoholic drinks; serving alcohol with care and responsibility; responsible approaches to dealing with intoxicated and underage people; and the arrangement of safe transport options. The criteria for your premises’ licence require compliance with all of these and a host responsibility policy should be prominently displayed.
It is important that staff are trained to recognise and understand intoxication and practical interventions, including the sort of conflict resolution that can become necessary in such staff-customer interactions.
Make sure they are instructed not to continue serving alcohol to any patron who appears to be getting intoxicated, either directly or through friends.
“Training has increased dramatically over the last 10 years,” Tucker says. “Obviously, if you’ve got a general manager’s certificate, then you’ve covered intoxication and identification, but it is a vexed issue that intoxication is not defined in law and it’s entirely subjective. So you could get the situation where a manager is quite happy to serve someone who the police might think is intoxicated. It’s a very thorny issue and it’s top-of-mind for operators.”
It also helps to have clear signage regarding the size of spirits measures (singles or doubles) so customers can gauge how much they are drinking. Obviously, any promotions that encourage intoxication are also off the menu.
The provision for low- and no-alcohol drinks has been well adapted and is now part of the bar culture, something that has also happened with offering transport options.
As far as food provision goes, things have improved in recent years, although some might not be getting the message, especially later in the evening, Tucker says. “It’s a requirement of the Act to have food available at all times alcohol is being served, so any premises not complying could find itself in hot water if the authorities became aware of it. And the authorities have started to become more interested recently. We had some instances last year that were like food stings and the authorities came down very heavily on premises not complying.”
While it can often be hard to offer full kitchen service at midnight, there is a range of options available that don’t mean you need a chef twiddling his or her thumbs in the kitchen until the early hours.
Pies, sausage rolls, pre-made toasted sandwiches and pizzas are simple to heat through and serve without needing a chef and can be prepared in advance. They also fulfill the requirement for substantial food to be available, as opposed to snack foods.
The quality and type of food will vary depending on the size and nature of your premises and clientele. The most important thing is to provide bulky tasty and popular food, as this slows down the effects of alcohol and fills people up without costing too much.
The location and availability of the food outlet on your premises is also important, for instance if you operate a bistro it may be a good idea to have the service area next to the bar so your customers can decide to order something to eat when getting a drink. Having the menu clearly displayed for all your customers to see will also encourage them to buy something to eat.
Another possibility is to provide free bar snacks at busy times. This will make your customers appreciate your hospitality and tell their friends about it. Encouraging your customers to eat when drinking will also reduce the risk that they will get intoxicated and cause you problems.