La Ronge Businesses Prepared to Fight Bottle Ban
Wednesday, August 31, 2005 at 14:59
Several La Ronge business owners are protesting the implementation of the beer bottle ban and are saying they will go as far as it takes to have it changed or abolished.
Last night, a special meeting was called forth by members of the La Ronge and District Chamber of Commerce, to discuss the circumstances surrounding the bottle ban resolution.
Kosta’s Restaurant owner, Dick Reid, says the public wasn’t properly informed of the ramifications of the bottle ban which will halt the sale of beer in glass bottles, not only in off sale stores but in all restaurants and lounges as well.
Reid also added the ban doesn’t make sense, because it only restricts beer bottles and not bottled coolers or wines that come in glass bottles as well.
Reid says the ban could have serious downfalls for not only the restaurants and lounges, but also the local economy, which thrives off of tourism. He says this is not one step forward for the community, but two steps backwards.
Reid says the committee, which consists of concerned business owners, will go as far as it takes to have this ban changed or eliminated, even if that involves lobbying provincial politicians and/or involving the courts.
La Ronge Town Council decided to implement the ban on the sale of beer in glass bottles after several accounts of assaults with beer bottles, medical problems due to broken glass on the ground and the substantial litter problem.
The La Ronge bottle ban goes into effect as of midnight tonight.