DAN MURPHY'S 'DISASTER'
THE construction of a Dan Murphy’s booze barn on the corner of Bagot Rd will lead to more pedestrian deaths on an already dangerous stretch of road, according to a prominent Darwin businessman.
Retailer and former police officer Darryl Thomas has lodged an objection with the Director-General of Licensing to Woolworths’ application to transfer its licence from the Stuart Park BWS to the planned Dan Murphy’s.
Mr Thomas wrote in his objection that the location – within walking distance of Bagot – would be a “ticking time bomb waiting to go off”.
“The mix of the proposed licenced premises, take away food venue, major road (and intersection) and Bagot community within walking distance will result in an increase of vehicle versus pedestrian accidents in the immediate area,” he wrote.
“As a police officer in the mid-80s, I attended several serious accidents on the stretch of Bagot Rd near the Nightcliff Hotel, now Jape Homemaker Village. Serious trauma and pedestrian deaths were a regular occurrence, with pedestrians trying to cross the busy road after making take away liquor purchases at the old Nightcliff Hotel bottle shop.
“Bagot Rd is much busier now and cars are moving faster. I hate to imagine what the result will be but can only en- visage that it will be many times worse than in the past.
“In a time that we are trying to decrease the road toll, it would be remiss to allow history to repeat itself.”
Dan Murphy’s has volunteered to impose restrictions at its proposed store, which it says will make it a “national leader in the responsible service of alcohol and harm minimisation with the most stringent and highest set of self-imposed conditions of any store” operated by the company.
“Bagot Rd is much busier now and cars are moving faster” RETAILER DARYL THOMAS