Perth needs more night life

It is nice to be able to go out in the local area to something that is actually open after dinner time, something that is sadly rare in this city.

For Perth truly to develop into a cosmopolitan centre and attract tourism we as a community need to realise that nightlife in this city is grossly lacking.

Ever been to the West Perth shops after 6pm? You wouldn’t bother as everything is shut.

The recent articles and letters in this paper accuse Varsity Bar of being responsible for noise and disturbances in the local area at 2am and in the most recent paper 4am.

This venue closes at midnight. Why would patrons of a venue that is shut loiter around for hours after closing time?

Upon closure the bar staff and security make every effort to usher people out of the area and towards bus stops.

How can a bar that shuts four hours earlier be accused of being responsible for noise caused much later by random people on the street? These people could have come from anywhere ” from a local’s house, people travelling through from another suburb, perhaps even one of the thousands of students on the nearby university campus.

The offence of disorderly conduct surely applies to people causing a disturbance in a public place and if that individual is in error then they deserve to be punished.

Why should everyone else who is doing the right thing and enjoying a night out with friends be penalised?

This is typical of Perth where the actions of a few constantly condemn the rest. We cannot even enjoy a beer on the beach here while watching the sun set or having a barbecue without risking a fine.

I hope that Varsity Bar maintains its licence and gives locals something else to do other than go to bed.