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Liquor store closures ease rowdiness – Metro US

Liquor store closures ease rowdiness

Less access to booze was a contributing factor to the better-behaved crowds downtown the last two nights, according to Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Const. Lindsey Houghton.

After a rowdy Friday night throughout the core of the city, the VPD approached the B.C.

Liquor Board about closing both government and private liquor stores by 7 p.m. — for a period of 24 hours — to lessen the amount of public drinking.

“The amount of open liquor was cut down,” Houghton said. “And the amount of liquor being poured out by officers was less by half.”

While the lower quantities of liquid courage helped the hoards play nice well into Saturday night, the makeup of the masses also played a role in the more pleasant behaviour.

“There were more families out,” added Houghton. “The crowd demographic definitely changed from Friday to Saturday. The crowd was in great spirits, lots of red and white.”

Encouraged by the success of the liquor store closures, officers do not foresee a return of the behaviour they witnessed Friday night, even with large crowds expected to dominate the city through the end of the Games.

“If we need to, we have the resources to deploy down there,” Houghton said.