A hole, a chardonnay, a book and thou

There is no doubt that the ambience of surroundings when imbiding absinthe can be an important factor for many. The ease with which a proprietor can open an intimate bar varies considerably from state to state - and probably it is fair comment that Melbourne leads the nation in innovative bar trends, particularly where the incorporation of art has been a factor.

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(For greater insight into the development of art culture in bars in Melbourne, I recommend the recently screened docu-series “Not Quite Art” on Aunty, particularly episode 3. You can download this series for free from the ABC)

This has to date had little to do with where the true fountain of artistic creativity may lay, and more to do with the fact that it is hard to get a liquour licence in New South Wales under $15k, not to mention $50k for a social impact study.

The opposition to liberalisation of small capacity venues in Sydney was championed by the bankrollers of the NSW State Labour government, the Australian Hoteliers Association, who are more interested in how many pokies can be stacked into any given square metre of drinking room.

AHA President John Thorpe, however managed to galvanise the will of a fantastic grass roots lobbying campaign , through his now famous quote;

“We don’t want to sit in a hole and drink chardonnay and read a book. People can sit down, talk about history, chew the fat and gaze into each other’s eyes and all this sort of baloney but it’s pie-in-the-sky stuff. That’s not what Sydney wants.”

Now in a radical about face, the Iemma government has caved in and will introduce a new set of laws that will hopefully transform bar culture in Sydney.

This can only be a good thing for absinthe. Bars and hotels which have a leaning for quantity over quality has resulted in less choice for the consumer as to what sort of absinthe is available to try - and often the choice of higher premium brands found internationally has not been available here.

As the reduced cost, flexibility and capacity for innovative bar culture develops further in Sydney, we will hopefully see a greater access by the east coast consumer to what the world of absinthe has to offer.

Hopefully for other states like WA where the AHA political hold on reform is tight, maintaining a rule of law through the megaplex-sports-bar-cum-pokie-emporiums, this victory will inspire a degree of hope, and similar grass roots action.