Why was the Barrow Creek Hotel's liquor license suspended?

The license was suspended due to multiple breaches, including serving alcohol via a hatch to customers using income management cards and failing to maintain adequate facilities.

What are the conditions for Barrow Creek Hotel to get its license back?

The licensee must upgrade facilities, establish proper communication, and meet several other stringent requirements set by the NT Liquor Commission.

When did the Barrow Creek Hotel lose its liquor license?

The Barrow Creek Hotel's liquor license was suspended on January 1, 2026.

Home / Crime and Justice / Outback Pub Loses License: A Dry Spell for Remote Australia

Outback Pub Loses License: A Dry Spell for Remote Australia

8 Jan

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Summary

Barrow Creek Hotel's liquor license was suspended from January 1, 2026.
License issues included serving customers with income management cards.
Licensee Les Pilton must meet several conditions to regain his license.

Outback Pub Loses License: A Dry Spell for Remote Australia

Effective January 1, 2026, the Barrow Creek Hotel, a historic outback establishment, has had its liquor license suspended by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission. This decision follows a hearing that upheld eight out of ten grounds of complaint against its long-term publican, 76-year-old Les Pilton, who has operated the pub for 37 years.

Complaints included serving Indigenous customers through a hatchway using government-issued income management cards, thereby circumventing welfare spending restrictions on alcohol. Additionally, the commission cited failures in maintaining basic facilities such as toilets and a lack of essential services like meals and drinking water. Pilton's evidence was often found to be evasive and inconsistent by the commission.