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Poll

Should glass be banned in pubs and clubs?

This poll ended on 31 July 2010.

• Yes
• 60%
• No
• 37%
• Not sure
• 2%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.

A BRISBANE pub is making a stand against anti-social behaviour by launching civil action against a man accused of a nightclub glassing.

Police allege a 27-year-old Coorparoo man threw a glass at another patron at Woolloongabba's Chalk Hotel on Saturday morning.

The glass hit the 26-year-old in the face and there were initial fears he would lose an eye, but surgery was successful.

The Coorparoo man has since been charged with criminal offences but could soon also face civil action.

Chalk Hotel general manager Jason Titman said he had asked his solicitors to begin legal proceedings and hoped all Queensland licensees backed his stance against anti-social behaviour.

"We've been asking for the government to introduce harsher penalties and ban offenders from licensed premises, but in the meantime we're taking up the fight against these cowards and we will pursue them in the courts," Mr Titman said.

He said the hotel would seek compensation for interfering with the safety and enjoyment of other patrons, loss of reputation and costs associated with investigating the matter.

Mr Titman said the money wasn't as important as reputation and putting the onus back on the individual.

"In fact, I'm more than happy to say that any of the money that we got out of (the civil action), we'd be prepared to put back into charity," he said.

He urged the Qld government not to use the latest incident to enforce "knee-jerk" policies and encouraged it to wait until research into alcohol-fuelled violence in licensed premises was released.

The government has issued show-cause notices to a number of pubs and clubs asking them to explain why they should not be forced to replace stubbies, cans and glasses with plastic cups.

A parliamentary inquiry is also examining whether earlier closing hours for pubs and clubs would reduce violence.

The police union has recommended a 2am closing time for nightclubs, and midnight for suburban pubs.

Mr Titman said he was not convinced the earlier closing hours would have an effect, but recommended a statewide database of pub brawlers.

"We've got to make the individual more responsible ... We can't let the tail keep wagging the dog," he said.