Bid to open town’s 11th bottle shop

A company with a string of failed applications across New Zealand now wants to open up a bottle shop in Rangiora, North Canterbury.

Rangiora Liquormart Ltd, formerly Stoke Liquormart, has applied for an off-licence for a premises on High St.

If successful, it will be the North Canterbury town’s 11th offlicence.

About

Rangiora.

The company withdrew an application to open a premises in Stoke, near Nelson, earlier this year following opposition from the community.

Police raised issues with the location, concerns the proposal would lead to harm in the community, and the applicant’s failure to understand the issues. 18,100 people live in

The company’s directors are listed as Prince Sharma, Sahil Sharma and Aman Singh. All three are based in the North Island.

Prince Sharma previously applied for an off-licence for a premises in Woodville, near Palmerston North, in 2016.

The application was declined by the Tararua District Licensing Committee following opposition from police and the local medical officer of health.

Commissioner David Lea said Sharma had failed to do his homework and demonstrated ‘‘little knowledge of the community and its demographics’’.

Objections to the Rangiora application can be lodged with the Waimakariri District Council until Saturday.

A council spokesperson said police and the Canterbury medical officer of health had opposed the licence.

Two public objections had also been received.

Council environmental services manager Malcolm Johnston said objections needed to meet certain criteria, details of which were outlined on the council’s website.

A valid objector is one considered to have a greater interest than the general public, for instance living within 1-kilometre of the proposed premises, operating a business or organisation close to the premises, or with another close connection to the proposed premises.