A Wellington bar owner's bewildered he can't hand out pamphlets advertising his bars during O-week. 

Victoria University of Wellington's Students Association has complained to the council licensing team.

The council has told Greig Wilson they believe licensees must not target students to draw them to bars.

Wilson says he's distributed the flyers for years.

"The idea is to drive students into the bars before 12 o'clock, where we can better manage intoxication control in a controlled environment and monitor their drinking, rather than them being in a flat in Mount Cook with a bottle of vodka." 

LISTEN ABOVE