HUNTER pubs have escaped mention on the state's violent venues list as part of a statewide shift in the metric that has left the top category completely empty.
Maitland's The Belmore Hotel has been removed from the list since it was last published in May. The result puts no Hunter pub or club in the Liquor & Gaming NSW crosshairs.
Director of compliance operations Sean Goodchild said the result was remarkable.
"For just the third time since the scheme began in 2008, there are no venues in the most restrictive level one category," Mr Goodchild said.
"These results show our state's licensed venues are now safer than they've ever been, meaning people can enjoy nights out with far lower risks of alcohol-related violence.
"It's also pleasing that five of the six venues on the previous list have taken steps to improve their safety record and are no longer listed."
The list compiles the number of violent incidents recorded at venues over a rolling 12-month period. Any premises with a dozen or more incidents makes the list, with any hotel that has recorded 18 or more qualifying for level one status.
That status brings with it strict conditions and increased monitoring.
In May last year, the Hunter had two venues on the list including the Sydney Junction Hotel. The popular Beaumont Street watering hole led the state with 25 incidents, an improvement on its 30 in the year to the previous November.
By May this year, the Hamilton hotel and King Street Hotel had both earned their way off the list to leave The Belmore's level two status the Hunter's last remaining entry.
The Maitland pub had 12 incidents in the year to May's list, meaning its tally just qualified to place it on the list at the time.
Sydney's Ivy, Tamworth's Imperial Hotel, Cronulla's Northies - Cronulla Hotel and the Tattersall's Hotel at Penrith are the last remaining entries in list released on Friday.
