By David Barbeler of AAP
A major Queensland pub licensee who has switched a quarter of his 110 establishments to glass alternatives as a safety measure, says not one customer has complained.
The state government is encouraging all pubs to move to tempered glass or plastic after a spate of glassings, but has issued show cause notices to 77 venues where there have been repeated attacks.
The smooth transition for the Australian Leisure and Hospitality (ALH) Group suggests that few, if any, Queenslanders can tell the difference between having a cold one out of a regular glass or tempered glass.
ALH Queensland state manager Trevor Smith said the only downside was a 20 per cent increase in the price per glass.
It now costs about $20,000 to put tempered glasses in each venue.
"While the cost of purchasing tempered is more expensive than normal glass, there has been a decrease in replacement costs as tempered glass lasts longer," he said.
"Besides, price is not a substitute for safety."
Smith said while his pubs have only had about four glassing incidents in the past three years, he felt they had an obligation as a major industry player to lead the way.
"Patrons don't seem to notice they are drinking from tempered glass. We certainly haven't received any comments from anyone," he said.
ALH plans to introduce tempered glass into all of their licensed premises in a staged roll-out.
Minister for Liquor Licensing Peter Lawlor said there was a public misconception that alcohol served in glass alternatives - including tempered glass or polycarbonate plastic - didn't taste as good.
"While it's not mandatory for licensed premises to introduced glass alternatives, the industry is progressing that way," he said.
Lawlor said out of the 77 venues that had received show cause notices, two had been withdrawn, 14 had solicitors in negotiations with the department, and the remaining 61 had been given an extended deadline in February after a judicial review.
© 2010 AAP