The hospitality industry has called on the Christchurch City Council to dump a proposed policy limiting where and when alcohol can be sold in the city.

The hospitality industry is calling on the Christchurch City Council to dump proposed booze restrictions but a health advocate wants the policy strengthened.

The future of the council's local alcohol policy (LAP) will come to a head on Thursday when the council decides behind closed doors how it will proceed with the policy following a High Court decision ordering it to take the city's new district plan into account.

The council has grappled with the proposed LAP since it was released for consultation in 2013. The policy, which set restrictions on where and when alcohol could be sold in the city, was designed to minimise alcohol-related harm in the community, but some feared it would kill Christchurch's nightlife and drive young people out of the city.

Thousands of submissions have been written by the hospitality industry and residents, appeals have been lodged and heard, changes made and the policy watered down, but still the city has no local alcohol policy.

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The council has spent almost $1.1 million on the process so far.

Buying and selling alcohol in the city is governed by the hours set in the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, which is what Hospitality New Zealand (HNZ) wants to continue.

HNZ South Island area manager Amy McLellan-Minty said the sensible decision was to run with the national default hours in the act, which the city had been living with since December 2012 without issues.

"There is no evidence submitted thus far by the police or district health board that the proposed reduction in hours in the Christchurch LAP will contribute in anyway to the reduction of alcohol related harm, which is the object of the act."

The act states alcohol could be sold between 8am and 4am by an on-licence and between 7am and 11pm for off-licence outlets.

Canterbury medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said the default hours in the act were not designed to be a target and it was up to communities to work out what hours were acceptable to them.

He said the council's original policy was progressive and the council should "carefully consider" pursuing it again.

"It was excellent but has been watered down over the ensuing years under pressure from the drinks industry, which I don't think serves our city well in any way.

"I want to see a city that grows and develops that we can all enjoy."

He said there had been a "mindless drive" by some parts of the hospitality industry to have alcohol available at all costs, all times of the day and night.

"Chasing the drunken dollar at 3 o'clock is not a good way to run a hospitality business."

The original policy included a closing time of 3am and a one-way door policy from 1am for taverns, bars, pubs, night clubs and clubs located in a small central city precinct. A closing time of 1am elsewhere in the in the city was proposed. Off-licence trading hours were to be limited between 9am and 9pm.

Following submissions and appeals, the council widened its central city precinct to include Victoria St, south of Salisbury St. It proposed a temporary 3am closing time for bars in north Victoria St, between Salisbury St and Bealey Ave, which would change to 1am after three years in line with suburban pubs.

Off-licence trading hours would be between 7am and 10pm, instead of 9am and 9pm.

Christchurch bar and restaurant owner Max Bremner said too much time and ratepayer money had already been spent on the policy and he wanted the council to drop it for good.

"I know the local industry will not back down. It will continue to fight because it's in their best interests."

Bremner, who owns Fat Eddie's, The Bog and Bealey's Speight's Ale House, said the policy was draconian.

"If Christchurch is to attract young tourists instead of them disappearing to Queenstown then we have to be able to trade as late as possible."

The agenda for Thursday's council meeting states the policy was being discussed in private to maintain "legal professional privilege".