Straight Talk

Downtown Vancouver liquor stores ordered to close early for Game 7 of Stanley Cup finals

by Stephen Hui on June 14th, 2011 at 4:52 PM
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      The B.C. government has ordered the early closure of liquor stores in downtown Vancouver for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals.

      According to a news release from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the general manager of the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch believes the move is justified by a “real and serious threat to public safety”.

      Thirteen private and six public liquor stores will close at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (June 15), as they previously did for Game 6 on June 13.

      The private stores affected by the order are Coal Harbour Liquor Store, Crosstown Liquor Store, Denman Place Wines, Dover Arms Liquor Store, Jimmy’s Cold Beer and Wine Store, Liberty Wines, Sheraton Vancouver Fine Spirits, Spirit of Howe Beer and Wine, St. Regis Fine Wines and Spirits, Steamworks Licensee Retail Store, Sutton Place Wine Merchant, Viti Wine and Lagers, and Yaletown Liquor Store.

      The public stores that will close early are the Alberni and Bute, Robson, Cardero, Bute, Yaletown, and Harbour Centre locations.

      Provincial liquor inspectors and Vancouver police reported a decline in public drinking and alcohol-related problems after the Game 6 closures.

      Police will focus their liquor enforcement activities on SkyTrain stations, the Georgia Street fan zone, and the Granville Entertainment District, according to the release.

      You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      Ray I

      Jun 14, 2011 at 5:01pm

      Bar owners heard rubbing their hands at the news. Not only will their bars be filled by noon but their offsales will skyrocket after 4pm.

      no way

      Jun 14, 2011 at 5:06pm

      WTF. I just want to get liquored up and smash some shit, is that so wrong?

      the obvious

      Jun 14, 2011 at 8:54pm

      any other reason why drinking might have declined as a result of game 6?

      perahps the devastation of Canuck's nation as a result of the outcome of the game?

      KTFO

      Jun 15, 2011 at 6:26pm

      So let me get this straight I can go get drunk at the Bar/Club, buy any amount of illegal Drugs & Whores in Vancouver.

      I can die for my Country at 18.

      But if I wanna buy a friggin Beer after work in downtown Vancouver I am S.O.L :). Yeah that makes sense :).

      Freddy

      Jun 16, 2011 at 6:24pm

      This article, and the hundreds of other media articles, and half-hourly news items reporting the same fact, have the subtext: Stock up and BRING it with you. Gotta warn all you people coming downtown. . . you had better get drunk EARLY, and bring some more with you.

      That was the effect I heard of being reminded of the closure over 20 times that day.

      Nia

      Jun 17, 2011 at 10:30am

      Reactance. Reactance. Reactance.
      Look at Germany. You can openly drink in public, you can buy beer at the grocery stores. When I heard of this before I was going to explore the amazing city of Berlin I was afraid, coming from North American culture, almost terrified. I expected to see rampant drunks and bottles smashed everywhere.
      Guess what I saw?
      Less fighting, less drunks, NO bottles broken as compared to any major NA city I have ever visited. Berlin is fantastically clean despite my prior assumptions and I went there to visit german friends who reside in the more ”˜eclectic’- in other words, not so tourist friendly, yet amazingly artistic areas.

      Rein people in and they will misbehave, allow freedom and suddenly the desire to cause destruction is nil as there is no attention given. It is a hard concept for NA to conceptualize because we are so intent on prevention, so terrified of freedom. Yet this type of understanding has been around for years in other parts of the world.