Pub that served last beer in 2015 used as evidence against new bar
Molly Malones in Courtenay Place served its last beer in 2015, yet was one of the “just under 200” licensed premises health authorities used to justify opposition to a new central Wellington bar.
Te Whatu Ora Health NZ has released the full list of the 87 phantom licences – all either expired, for past one-off events, or now-closed venues – it originally claimed existed.
Medical Officer of Health Stephen Palmer said he never used the erroneous figure, which came from a shortfall in the computer system, when he objected to liquor licenc- es to the Wellington City Council District Licensing Committee.
But two owners of multiple bars said health authorities cited the number before the official body, which decides on liquor licenses.
In early March, Te Whatu Ora, which confirmed it spent $22,750 opposing the licence for new bar Saint Diablo, justified its opposition to The Post because “the number of on-licences located within 500 metres of Saint Diablo is just under 200”.
When asked to supply a list of the 200 premises, a Te Whatu Ora spokesperson asked, “Are you actually questioning that there aren’t 200 licensed premises in this region?”, before treating it as an Official Information Act request.
The eventual response showed that there were just 142 premises within the radius – leaving 58 phantom licences. Te Whatu Ora has now released that list, which actually includes 87 premises.
They include Molly Malones, which closed in 2015, Strawberry Fare, closed since 2016, and Reading Cinemas, closed since 2019.
At least three bars on the list were owned by publican Jordan Mills and his family: Siglo shut this year, Hummingbird closed in 2021, and Public Bar and Eatery shut in 2017. In each case, Te Whatu Ora or its predecessor cited the 200 figure in evidence before the district licensing committee, he said.
The closure of Siglo came after Mills' family lost a costly legal battle over its liquor licence, forcing them to reduce opening hours from 4am to 2am, Mills said. It made the bar unsustainable, and after 11 years it closed, putting about 16 staff out of work.
He was now considering taking another legal battle, which had previously cost him up to $50,000 per hearing, or “we roll over and accept it”.
He said there had been no issues with alcohol harm at his venue, and he employed three security guards on Fridays and four on Saturdays from open to close.
Saint Diablo co-owner Greig Wilson confirmed that Te Whatu Ora cited the 200 figure in his hearing.
While Palmer’s written brief to the hearing did not include the figure, it did say that “there is an oversupply of alcohol in central Wellington and already there are too many on-licences located in the confined geographical area of Courtenay Place”.
Palmer said this was based on a Ministry of Justice Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority “heat map”, which showed the density of licensed premises but not numbers. Palmer said the 200 number first came about when responding to The Post questions in March.