Late Night Thursday

It was an unexpectedly late night for me tonight. I didn’t expect to be out on Oxford Street at midnight, especially on a “school night”.

But when a mate from Perth e-mailed last week telling me he would be in town for a wedding, and asking if I would like to catch up for a group dinner, I actually expected a fairly sedate early evening.

Unlike most of my friends who drink like fish, he’s a tea-totaller. Which is kind of ironic, given that he comes from a family which makes wine for a living. I expected a fairly early meal and then home for bed well before midnight.

But the hours passed quickly and somehow it was suddenly midnight and we were out on Oxford Street.

Dinner, by the way, at Bay Bua was excellent.

“They used to be at Marrickville”, a couple of the people at the table (there was eight of us) said with a degree of expert knowledge.

Most memorable was the soft-skinned crab, though all of the food was very tasty.

It’s located in Springfield Avenue in The Cross, in case you’re interested.

The company was also great. All blokes, of course. But a combination of people from a range of different friendships, including someone I met a dozen or so years ago through work. Very pleasant.

So dinner, then a bit of a chat, and a few drinks, and then suddenly it was midnight.

And you know what midnight on Oxford Street means now?

It means the 10-minute non-service of alcohol period. It also means plastics, instead of glasses. And it means you can’t stand outside and have a drink while others have a cigarette.

I understand all of the reasons why this is happening, and agree that alcohol is an enormous problem in our community, that’s mostly under-estimated.

What I don’t understand is why the venue we visited, The Oxford Hotel is one of those venues which has been identified for the drinking restrictions.

Tonight the pub was full of a bunch of 40 to 50 year old poofs, none of whom seemed to be overly intoxicated. And none of who mseemed to be exhibiting any signs of violence, let alone threatening to “glass” anyone else.

It’s an issue for minds far greater than mine to consider I am sure. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.pany w