LICENCED clubs on the far north coast have credited hard work and a change in culture for a massive fall in the number of assaults reported on club premises.

Figures gathered by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research and released by Clubs NSW show assaults in the region had fallen from 54 in 2004 to just 22 last year.

Twin Towns general manager Rob Smith said the improvements were the result of "a change of culture not only within the clubs industry but the education of people in the community as well".

"It used to be that when people were intoxicated they were asked to leave or were removed from the club.

"The culture now is when people are beginning to show signs of being intoxicated they are asked to leave earlier as a result."

Mr Smith said families made up a "massively important" part of the clientele at Twin Towns.

"Nothing makes me crankier than an adult behaving badly in front of children and we won't tolerate it," he said.

Clubs NSW executive manager Anne Fitzgerald said locals clubs had done an "outstanding job over the past decade reducing poor behaviour".

"By taking a tough, zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour the message has been well and truly heard by those who previously thought it was acceptable to play up at their local club.

"The decision to invest in high profile security has certainly helped local clubs weed out the troublemakers.

"I'm also impressed by the tough penalties clubs have been issuing to anyone who has misbehaved at their local club.

"Once a few hoons have had their membership torn up and issued 12-month suspensions word quickly spreads that clubs are no place to indulge in drunken misbehaviour."