NDP MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert backs liquor sales at movie screenings

Vancouver–West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert is pushing ahead with his call to change provincial liquor laws in order to allow alcoholic drinks to be sold at film screenings.

On November 22, the NDP critic for tourism, culture, and the arts presented a petition with 2,000 signatures in support of this move in the legislative assembly.

“You’re allowed to drink at a concert with your kids, at the bowling alley, at the theatre, but you’re not allowed to have a beer at a movie,” Herbert told the Straight by phone. “That doesn’t really seem to make a lot of sense to me.”

The B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Act prohibits movie theatres from getting a liquor licence. Regulations also do not permit licensed cultural venues from selling alcohol during film showings.

“Movie theatres in Washington state, Oregon, Ontario—they all allow it,” Herbert noted. “I believe Alberta is moving in that direction as well.”

Comments

4 Comments

WestandLeft

Nov 24, 2011 at 11:50am

Smart move. People regularly sneak booze into movies already. We might as well allow the theatres to sell alcohol so they can make some money off of it. Go to the USA. Brew and Views are commonplace and seem to work perfectly fine.

xp

Nov 24, 2011 at 12:54pm

yes!

Gentleman Jack

Nov 24, 2011 at 6:02pm

Just what we need, another place where ethanol is accepted.
Maybe we could work on re-legalizing safer drugs like MDMA, LSD, psilocybin, etc. etc. before we turn up the ethanol taps?

W2Woodwards

Nov 24, 2011 at 6:06pm

Draconian liquor laws need to be changed to benefit other cultural industries - not just movie theatres! Let's do this in a coordinated fashion as artist-run centres have been trying to get the City and BC govt onside to liberalise these draconian rules. Our sector needs the requirement of $100 public special occasion liquor licenses (SOLs) for everytime a glass of wine is consumed at a reception. It's not sustainable and it's unnecessary red tape when our sector is tying to survive on our own.