![Tamworth Regional Council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker. Picture by Gareth Gardner Tamworth Regional Council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/150521478/44ea2c9f-1ee7-441c-8c8f-8a96f1899e60.jpg/r0_588_5319_3583_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
THROWING back a beer or bubbles on the sidewalk could help increase employment and enjoyment in the CBD.
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After a push from the inner-city hospitality industry, Tamworth Regional Council has followed through on demands to review its "outdated" footpath dining policy.
Council's director of liveable communities Gina Vereker said community members are encouraged to have their say on the policy, which currently restricts diners to only enjoying a drink on the footpath with a meal.
"Council wants to remove any council barriers in terms of allowing people to have a better experience when they are down in Peel Street," she said.
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"It just opens up all those opportunities that at the moment, businesses can't take advantage of."
Changes to the policy could see a beverage enjoyed on the sidewalk without a meal every day of the calendar year, or at least every day except for the country music festival period.
Owner of The Pig and Tinder Box and DECO Wine Bar and Restaurant on the main street Jye Segboer said he would like to see the changes implemented all year round.
"It avoids confusion or any grey area in terms of the consumer and the staff," he said.
"It just makes things much easier to manage."
Since 1996, no alcohol, even with a meal has been allowed to be served to footpath diners during the festival.
At this year's festival, council trialled a rule change which allowed diners to enjoy an alcoholic drink with a meal.
Mr Segboer said there were "no problems whatsoever" with the new-age crowd happy to sit back and "soak up the vibe and atmosphere" of the festival.
"The dynamic of the festival and the demographic that attends has changed so much in the last 10 to 15 years," he said.
"It's not a crowd that's coming here to cause chaos and run-a-muck."
The hospitality owner said he hoped reforming the policy would improve night time activity on Peel Street and create employment opportunities if businesses are given the green light to expand their services.
"It's important for them [council] to have a full understanding of that," he said.
If any reform goes ahead, what won't change is the requirement to stay seated, Ms Vereker said.
Council is banking on hearing from the community, hospitality workers and the police during the consultation process.
"We want the community to feel safe," she said.
It will be the responsibility of venue owners to update their liquor licenses and enforce the new rules if the policy is updated.
If changes are made and "significant problems" follow, council can backflip and amend the policy without any public consultation.
Public feedback on the policy can be submitted via council's website until May 16.
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