Australian Hotels Association NSW Policing and Liquor director John Green said the fall was greater than the state average of 5 per cent.

“Assault rates in and around licensed premises are at their lowest levels since 1998 and we will be working to keep it that way,” Mr Green said yesterday.

He met with members of the New England sub-branch of the state association at Petersons Winery on Wednesday.

About 45 people from the district’s 39 hotels and pubs attended the meeting.

The assault figures were gleaned from the NSW Bureau of Crime.

Assault rates on licensed premises across NSW fell by 5.9 per cent in the past year.

In Armidale itself the figures are down 9.43 per cent. 

Mr Green said Armidale’s strict liquor accord had also contributed to the pleasing result.

Furthermore, many pubs had security which ejected patrons behaving violently or refusing entry to those who had “pre-loaded”, or consumed alcohol before arriving.

But members were also concerned by state legislation curtailing the sale of liquor from licensed premises after 10pm.

While the initiative was aimed at clamping down on alcohol-fuelled violence in Sydney venues, it had led to a 20 per cent decline in alcohol sales in regional hotels.

“It also disadvantages many farmers and cockies who, after a hard day on the farm, aren’t able to come into the town to buy alcohol until 10pm,” Mr Green said.

He is in talks with the state government in a bid to review the legislation, tipped to happen after the 2015 election.