An alcohol authority has knocked back Wellington City Council's bid to keep central city bars open until 5am.
Photo: RNZ / Alex Ashton
The council wanted to extend by an hour opening hours from the current 4am closing time but police and health authorities appealed against that.
In a decision released to media today, the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority ruled in favour of the appellants.
It said since legislation came in capping on-licence alcohol sales at 4am, there had been fewer people sent to hospital with booze-related injuries.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown told Checkpoint bars were mostly very well-managed.
"When you can go down and buy RTDs at a dollar a can, it's very difficult to use the tool of bar opening hours to make a difference to many people."
Ms Wade-Brown said the council had not yet decided whether it would appeal the decision or stick with the default national closing time of 4am.
Listen to Celia Wade-Brown