Townsfolk trump bottle shop
Te Kauwhata locals have won a major victory against the spread of booze shops in the north Waikato village.
In a just released decision, Waikato district’s licensing committee has knocked back an application to establish a Bottle-O outlet on Main Rd beside the library after receiving 81 objections.
But one of the promoters of the store – prominent Waikato retailer Manish Thakkar – says the committee’s decision on the application from TK Spirits Limited will be appealed.
And, in June, Super Liquor’s separate application to establish an outlet in the village is due to be heard – that’s already attracted about 140 objections.
On the Bottle-O application, the committee’s decision said there was evidence that the locality’s amenity (liveability) and good order “is likely to be reduced by more than a minor extent by the granting of this licence”.
Objectors Nicky Patterson, manager of the Te Kauwhata Community House, and Te Kauwhata community committee chairperson John Cunningham said yesterday that they were stoked by the decision.
“We’re here to promote wellness ... we objected to the potential social harm from more alcohol,” Patterson said.
Already there were two main liquor outlets in the village, the trust tavern and the New World supermarket, along with various clubs serving alcohol, and the Rangiriri Tavern was just three kilometres away, Patterson said.
While the committee’s finding didn’t spell out in detail the risks it believed granting another licence would entail, Cunningham felt it addressed a number of issues.
“There’s a range of things that could happen that could affect the amenity of the village.”
Liz Gordon, a lawyer for Patterson and a “community navigator” from Communities Against Alcohol Harm, said the decision was based on “the evidence of the community” about its concerns.
The committee had extrapolated from this and concluded that granting the licence wasn’t appropriate, said Gordon.
Thakkar, meanwhile, was “very disappointed” by the decision.
“We were shocked because we presented everything they required.”
On whether he accepted that the store would affect amenity and good order, Thakkar said: “Not at all.”
A store would help prevent people from travelling outside the village to buy products not currently available there.
An appeal was definitely going to be lodged against the committee’s decision.
“We have to because we’ve already signed the lease [on a new building] and an agreement with Bottle-O.”
The latest developments follow a history of concerns about alcohol in Te Kauwhata.
Cunningham said some years ago a public liquor ban was introduced in the village after worries about people’s drinking. There’s a 24-hours a day liquor ban in most of the village.
Patterson’s committee evidence said the ban was imposed due to high levels of alcohol-related harm, including crime and disorder.
A local alcohol policy currently under appeal also reflected locals’ concerns about liquor stores being near community facilities such as the library and schools, Cunningham said.
But the applicant’s counsel Nick Laing said there was no “appreciable risk” that an increase in “nuisance and vandalism” would occur if there was another licensed premises in the area.
Thakkar’s evidence suggested Te Kauwhata was a “growing community” and extra demand could be expected.
Locals had suggested they needed a new liquor store such as the proposed Bottle-O, he said.
But objector Gerald Jackson, people’s warden at St Michael’s Anglican church, said he had “grave concerns for the harm that could result from this extra outlet”.
“Not only does it make liquor more readily available but could potentially bring more criminal activity into our community.”
Objector Girlie Iwihora, a trustee from Maurea Marae, said that “increased availability of alcohol and longer opening hours plays a key role in Māori suffering more alcohol-related harm”.
The Bottle-O would be open till 10pm compared to the 8.30pm closing of the New World supermarket across the road.
Objector Michelle Hohepa said after 8.30pm the village was “pretty much a ghost town and having a full service alcohol store until 10pm will have negative effects on the community”.
Medical officer of health delegate Dawn Meertens warned having too many outlets in the area could lead to price wars for alcohol.
She was concerned the store would increase an already “unacceptably high level of alcohol-related harm around the proposed premises”.
However, Laing suggested that there was a lack of specificity in evidence from objectors over alleged incidents.
“It stands that there is no particular difficulty in the area at the moment.”
The committee noted Thakkar had extensive experience in operating multiple licensed premises and there had been no problems with these. But, taking all relevant matters into account, “it is the committee’s opinion that the amenity and good order of the locality would be reduced by more than a minor extent, if the licence were to be granted”.