A Dunedin bottle shop touted as a ''high-end'' outlet, but which is now selling ''generic'' beers and RTDs, faces a fight to renew its liquor licence.
Police, Public Health South and a Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector have all opposed the application by Sri Sai Liquor Ltd to renew the off-licence for Dunedin Fine Wines & Spirits.
The George St alcohol outlet was first granted an off-licence in 2017, when it was presented as a ''high-end'' alcohol store, a report by Dunedin district licensing committee secretary Kevin Mechen said.
The previous owner had presented a list of products to be sold, and those that would not be stocked, before being granted a licence.
The store had since been bought by Himabindu Koralla, the sole director and shareholder of Sri Sai Liquor Ltd, who was seeking a licence to trade from 10am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday.
However, subsequent visits by agency staff had found ''large numbers of boxes of generic beer ... as well as substantial qualities of RTDs'' on sale.
Public notification of the request for a new off-licence had attracted no public opposition, but police opposed the bid because the premises was ''in the epicentre of alcohol-related crime and disorder'', the report said.
The outlet, selling single bottles of beer and RTDs, would ''only increase the alcohol-related crime and disorder'' in the area, it said.
The PHS medical officer of health also opposed the application, citing the discrepancy between the outlet's name, which ''implies the sale of quality, high-end wines and spirits'', and a reality which showed ''no significant difference between this store and any other 'common' bottle store''.
The licensing inspector also noted the store's ''initial concept'' had changed to the sale of more ''mainstream products'', and concluded the changes were ''no longer palatable to the reporting agencies''.
The application will be considered by the Dunedin district licensing committee on April 9.
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Is there a single example of an alcohol outlet being allowed to renew their licence without the zealots of the DCC and NZ Police trying to shut them down?
These zealots need to go. They don't represent mainstream opinion, just their own anti alcohol idiocy.
Their actions cost licence holders thousands of dollars and those actions are usually based on frivolous and irrational objections.
Maybe once DCC and police have to pay compensation for the zealots actions someone in control might curb their idealism. Meanwhile it is only ratepayer, taxpayer and licencee money they waste while trying to ban alcohol in the community.
It should be denied , they never applied for a licence to sell cheap booze...it's a bit dishonest, in my opinion, to do a switch-a-roo like that.