Special Report: Perth's small bar scene

While the state government says the changes to WA's liquor laws are working, others claim local councils are proving to be a big stumbling block.

If it wasn't for a girlfriend in Melbourne I probably wouldn't have come across one of the most outrageous bars I've had the pleasure of enjoying a glass of wine in.

One striking example of how local councils are interfering with the intent of Western Australia's new liquor licensing laws is found on the sleeve of the wine list and menu at the state's first approved small bar, the Essex St Organic Wine Bar in Fremantl

The architect of Melbourne's liquor licensing laws, John Nieuwenhuysen, is not a big fan of the City of Subiaco's restrictions on small bars.