CLUBBERS TURN FROM HOT DOGS TO LOLLIPOPS

A judge heard yesterday how the demise of the King Street hot dog was
directly linked to a dramatic shift in use of alcohol to designer drugs
among some patrons of Melbourne's nightclub scene.

The County Court was told that alcohol use had "dried up" among drug-using
patrons of the King Street-Banana Alley "subculture" who turned to Chuppa
Chups and water after taking cocaine and ecstasy.

The former owner of 15 hot dog stands revealed how his profits had dropped
because clients' tastes had lurched towards lollipops.

Robert Schramm, now operations manager for a cleaning business, said he
used to sell 1200 hot dogs each night outside one nightclub, but in two
years this had fallen to 240.

Mr Schramm told Judge John Nixon that where he once sold one case of 25
Chuppa Chups, he was suddenly selling five cases every night, while sales
of water jumped from 24 to 240 bottles.

"People weren't getting drunk any more. They were into substances and
drugs," he said. "You were not making a profit on the Chuppa Chups as you
did on hot dogs."

Mr Schramm said he sold his businesses some years ago and left the area
when rave parties took over from nightclubs.

Mr Schramm was called to give evidence for his present employee, Paul
Anthony Phillips, a former King Street nightclub security guard who has
pleaded guilty to one charge of trafficking drugs of dependence.

Prosecutor Michelle Williams said that between August and October last
year, Phillips trafficked in drugs including cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines
and marijuana.

Ms Williams said Phillips, 27 - who was arrested after the police drug
squad targeted another man to whom he supplied 100 ecstasy tablets - had 37
marijuana plants growing at his home, where 85.2 grams of cocaine was also
found.

Chris Dane, QC, defending, said Phillips developed a $500 to $600-a-day
cocaine habit after working in the King Street security industry among its
drug subculture.

Mr Dane said when Phillips first worked in the area, the "standard way of
behaving was directed towards the consumption of alcohol" but the dance
music subculture changed, alcohol use dried up and cocaine and ecstasy use
increased.

Phillips had a "lolly shop (of drugs) going" but had since got off the
drug-use and sale merry-go-round and was now drug-free, Mr Dane said.

Judge Nixon will sentence Phillips, a supervisor, of Glen Street, Essendon,
on October 9.