Want a scotch on the rocks delivered to your door at 4 a.m. at your favourite hotel?
That’s now legally possible, with the British Columbia government giving the green light to hotels, resorts and other accommodation spots to deliver liquor to guests by room service 24 hours a day, provided food is also available.
Prior to the change announced Friday, liquor could only be delivered by room service during the hours of operation of the hotel’s licensed establishment.
The latest change creates flexibility for places with overnight accommodations and is a win for the tourism industry, B.C. businesses and consumers, the government said in a release.
The change is part of the government’s efforts to reduce red tape, modernize liquor laws and increase consumer convenience.
The new policy maintains that a hotel room is considered a residence, and treats room service as a residential service.
The licensee delivering the room service must be located in the building that offers overnight accommodation and may only deliver to registered guests – as long as their local municipality is onside.
“Today’s announcement is an important step forward as we continue to implement recommendations we heard throughout the Liquor Policy Review, focused around providing more convenience for consumers, streamlining regulations for the industry, and maintaining protections for public health,” said John Yap, parliamentary secretary for liquor reform, in a statement.
“Providing licensed establishments in hotels the option of extending liquor service to 24 hours a day not only benefits our membership, but it is reflective of the common-sense policy changes we have long advocated for,” added Poma Dhaliwal, president of the Alliance of Beverage Licensees.
