A Wellington racecourse has taken the unusual step of banning booze at its mid-winter race day.
Trentham Racecourse failed a police alcohol sting at Cup Day in January so, to avoid a black mark, the club decided to serve no alcohol for a day.
Glasses were raised at the club today to celebrate Sharon Lockyer's 50th, but it wasn't the birthday girl's drink of choice. Ms Lockyer said her normal birthday beverage was a glass of something bubbly.
The big day was booked in before the booze ban was announced. She could have cancelled but chose instead to go ahead, and she insisted she wasn't missing the bubbles too much.
"I have to admit to having a couple before we left," she said.
And there would be a couple more afterwards. But in the meantime the party settled for soft drinks and free Chanui tea.
Other long-time race-goers weren't so enthusiastic about the ban, though.
"We come for the races, the buffet and the bubbles as a group, so we were very disappointed," one lady told Newshub.
No alcohol sales means a significant profit loss for Wellington Racing Club, but chief executive Alasdair Robertson's took it on the chin.
"It's an infringement; it's a punishment and you have to do your time," he said.
But it wasn't boozy behaviour that led to the liquor ban -- an underage person without ID was supplied alcohol as part of a police sting in January. They were turned away from the bar six times, but supplied alcohol on the seventh attempt.
Extra staff were on hand to make sure there were no infringements today.
"We've actually even emptied the bars. The last think we want is somebody tipping the bartender a large sum of money to break the law, and we won't have that," Mr Robertson said.
Most people were happy to settle for Chanui, which supplied 1000 or so tea bags.
"We think people are going to enjoy drinking the tea so much they'll start coming back for the tea in the future instead of the alcohol -- you never know!" Chanui owner Doug Hastie said.
But the ban is only for today, so at the next meet in July, punters will only be tea-totalling by choice.
Newshub.
