Imagine a retirement village with no beer. The story generated massive media coverage in SA.
The Advertiser kicked off with a story stating that Lifestyle SA, which has 11 big villages, had barred social committees and associations from selling food and drinks because the committees are deemed to be “commercial catering businesses”.
SA Retirement Villages Residents Association president Bob Ainsworth told the paper that residents are upset about the changes and lack of consultation from the operator.
“This is a throwback to the bygone era of prohibition whereby the village operator has even instructed the withdrawal of the words ‘happy hour’ for use within the village,” he said.
The story even reached State Parliament, with the Labor Opposition threatening to lodge a private members’ bill to reverse the ruling and Health Minister Stephen Wade requesting Lifestyle SA reconsider.
“Banning resident committees from running social activities is in no one’s best interest,” he said.
“We should be encouraging social activities that make residents happy, rather than standing in their way.”
We reached out to Lifestyle SA for comment. Director Lisa Norris told us there is no ban and has never been a ban on alcohol.
She says amendments to the Liquor Licensing Regulations in December 2017 exempted retirement villages from the requirement to hold a liquor licence so residents and guests can supply and consumer their own alcohol at any time in any communal area.
They are very happy and supportive of residents bringing BYO to events and committees operating Happy Hour with a small profit to go to the village.
The challenge is the scale. Lifestyle SA wrote to the committee (also called Associations) in each village stating they did not want their kitchens facilities used for ‘commercial’ purposes/quantities, identifying the associated business risks.
This did not go down well. The result: notice of disputes from village committees and big media coverage, damaging the Lifestyle SA brand and no doubt sales – to the detriment of residents.
