Be sure to have a Plan B this festive season

Now that party season has arrived many plans are being made; planning where you will go to celebrate, planning who you will see, and planning what you will wear – but have you made a Plan B for getting home safely? 

Throughout December and January, 25 venues across the Blue Mountains are participating in the Plan B campaign to encourage patrons to make a Plan B to get home safely when they drink alcohol. It is also a reminder that drink driving is never an acceptable plan.

The Plan B campaign is an initiative of Transport for NSW, in partnership with Local Government Areas across Western NSW. This is the second year the Blue Mountains has participated, again supported by the Blue Mountains Liquor Accord. 

Patrons at participating venues can complete an entry form that asks what their Plan B for getting home safely is. They then go in the draw to win a swag valued at over $250. Each of the 25 venues will have a swag to give away, with winners drawn towards the end of January at a date chosen by the venue. 

A night out in a regional area requires a bit more planning as there are fewer public transport options available. 

"As licensee and a member of the community, I believe everybody's safety should always be paramount," said Tony De Bono of The Gardners lnn, Blackheath, one of the participating venues. "At this time of year, with so many Christmas parties and celebrations, and friends catching up after the year we've had, we don’t want any bad news; we want everyone to get home safely.

"In the Mountains we have less Plan B options than in the city but we do have options - you can get the train, you can stay on a friend's couch, or at the pub, or you can get a taxi. You can walk home too if you live close enough but you should be careful even when walking too. People always should remember not to focus only on the moment, it doesn't end there, there will always be tomorrow."

Drink driving is one of the leading causes of death and injury on NSW roads.

The licenced venues and liquor stores across the Blue Mountains participating in the Plan B campaign are:

•    Gardners Inn Hotel (Blackheath) •    New Ivanhoe Hotel (Blackheath) •    Katoomba RSL •    The Bootlegger Bar (Katoomba) •    The Katoomba Family Hotel •    The Katoomba Family Hotel bottle shop •    Station Bar & Woodfired Pizza (Katoomba) •    Carrington Cellars (Katoomba) •    The Carrington Cocktail Bar (Katoomba) •    The Old City Bank Bar & Brassiere (Katoomba) •    The Bunker Café Bar Restaurant (Leura)  •    Wentworth Falls Country Club  •    Grand View Hotel (Wentworth Falls) •    Lawson Bowling Club •    Blue Mountains Hotel (Lawson) •    Lawson Cellars - Cellarbrations  •    Hazelbrook Bowling & Sporting Club •    Hazelbrook Cellars - The Bottle-O Hazelbrook •    Chambers Cellars (Faulconbridge) •    The Bunker Café Bar Restaurant (Springwood) •    Oriental Hotel (Springwood) •    The Royal Hotel (Springwood) •    Chambers Cellars (Springwood) •    BWS Springwood •    Glenbrook Panthers

Photo: From Left - Chris Kirby (winner of the 2020 Plan B swag give-away), Jake Doran, Katie-Emma Grant, Christian Von Zan Hof, Dylan Smith, Suzan Mehmet (BMCC Road Safety Coordinator) and Tony De Bono (Licensee, Gardners Inn, Blackheath)