Authority seeks help over liquor bid

Health authorities in Wellington have door-knocked residents and businesses in Newtown as the owner of a spice store applies for a new liquor licence.

It comes months after police admitted using ‘‘poorly worded’’ communication after they were accused of attempting to drum up opposition to another liquor licence application.

Yesterday, a Regional Public Health (RPH) regulatory officer visited homes and businesses near Silk Route Spices on Riddiford St, informing them of a liquor licence application under the company name of Liquor Hub.

If the licence is approved, Silk Route Spices would be replaced by a liquor store named Black Bull Newtown, allowing alcohol to be sold from 10am each day.

The officer asked people what they thought of the proposal, then gave advice on where to find the application and lodge a submission using the Wellington City Council’s website.

Liquor Hub director Inder Brar labelled the approaches ‘‘unfair’’ and said he was seeking advice from his lawyer.

But RPH has defended its actions, saying the approaches were standard practice and speaking to the community was part of its ‘‘regulatory function’’.

‘‘We make inquiries into alcohol licence applications, part of this inquiry is approaching businesses and residents in the immediate area ... to see if they have been approached by the licence holder to voice any concerns they have,’’ RPH said.

‘‘We would expect that the licence holder would assess any impact their business may have on the immediate community and look at implementing measures to manage the risk.’’

This month, both the police and council opposed an application from Manjula Patel and Vinod Hira to convert their business, Aro Fruit Supply in central Wellington, into a liquor store.

While a decision was yet to be made on the application, the Wellington District Licensing Committee (DLC) received 55 applications against it.

Brar said Newtown had only one liquor store – Big Barrel Newtown – and that other similar-sized suburbs often had two or three stores operating.

‘‘I am bringing some more income into the area. You can see there’s only a few shops down there and it’s been empty for over three years,’’ he said.

‘‘I don’t think anybody has a problem with this liquor shop. Everyone knows me, everyone is calling me and saying ‘when are you opening it?’ They really want it.’’

But Anthany Thomas, who owns the Vaasana Traders grocery store metres away from Brar’s store, planned to lodge a submission with the DLC against the proposal.

‘‘I think it’s a bad idea, because we’ve already got a bottle shop just down the road and the New World [supermarket] sells liquor,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s going to affect my business and, at the same time, it’s not a great deal for the community of Newtown.’’

RPH was yet to decide if it would oppose Black Bull’s application but it would ‘‘consider all matters, including the impact on the community of Newtown before making a decision’’.

Submissions close next Thursday.