Hay River (Sep 13/04) - Last call could come a half-hour earlier if new rules are adopted by the NWT liquor board.

Currently, drinks can be served up to 1:59 a.m., but they have to be off the tables by a minute later at 2 a.m. Patrons then have to be out of bars by 2:15 a.m.

"It does pose problems," says board chair Don Kindt, pointing to last-minute overdrinking and congestion as people leave bars.

Now, the board is proposing service be cut off at 1:30 a.m., drinks off the table by 2 a.m. and the bars closed by 2:30 a.m.

Kindt says those hours would avoid problems like congestion, caused when people leave the bars all at once.

The board, which discussed the proposed changes at a Sept. 8-10 meeting in Hay River, intends to advertise the idea to receive written and telephone feedback from the public and licence holders. No public meetings are planned.

Kindt says the idea of changing the cut-off and closing times has been suggested in the past by various license holders and was discussed by the board in February.

Such a change would mean changing the regulations and not the Liquor Act itself.

Kindt says the process to make the change could be complete by next spring, depending on the feedback.

Sunday openings

The board is also considering limited Sunday openings.

"We would be prepared to allow bars to open six Sundays a year," Kindt says, although he insists the proposal has to be more closely studied.

The idea is to allow bars to open on special Sunday occasions, mostly during major televised sporting events such as the Grey Cup and the Super Bowl.

"One thing we are not looking at is wide-open Sunday openings at this time," Kindt says.

The board also discussed changing regulations so minors would be allowed in licensed facilities during off hours when liquor is not being served.

Kindt explains that could be for events like a dry grad, for which a class wants to use a licensed facility.

Those kinds of uses had been approved in the past by the board, until a lawyer pointed out the Liquor Act plainly states minors are forbidden from entering licensed premises.