The blunt assessment came from Police alcohol harm prevention officer Sergeant Ian Paulin at a meeting of the Dunedin District Licensing Committee today.
Police, Public Health South and Dunedin City Council liquor licensing inspector Tony Mole all opposed an application by Sri Sai Liquor Ltd to renew the off-licence for Dunedin Fine Wines & Spirits.
The company bought the store from a previous owner last year and intended to continue its high-end branding.
However, authorities had since found "large numbers of boxes of generic beer . . . as well as substantial qualities of RTDs'' on sale.
Sgt Paulin said the store was in the "epicentre'' of alcohol-related crime and disorder on George St, as the main thoroughfare for late-night revellers heading to and from Octagon bars.
Police had been called to more than 300 alcohol-related incidents - from minor disorder to serious assaults - in the vicinity the past year, just during the 10am-10pm hours of operation the store was seeking to renew.
"This is a high crime area with large numbers of calls for service for alcohol-related harm,'' he said.
Because of that, Sgt Paulin was particularly concerned the store was selling RTDs and cheap, single serve 500ml cans of "high octane'' beer, with alcohol contents above 6% or 7%.
His fear was the store could devolve into a discount alcohol store on the main street, like those already present in other parts of the city.
Store owner Pavithran Garnepally, of Auckland, said the store's name and branding aimed to promote the extensive selection of wines and spirits to office workers and tourists.
The store also sold more generic beers, including single-serve cans, as well as packs of RTDs, he said.
But the store would not sell single-serve RTDs or beers smaller than 500ml, and would not display either at the front of the shop, to minimise alcohol-related harm, he said.
Sgt Paulin pressed him on the sale of RTDs, pointing to a Facebook page run by one of Mr Garnepally's Auckland stores promoting the sale of White Rhino and African Elephant RTDs.
Mr Garnepally said they were low carb, low sugar and a percentage of sales went to charity, making them "a good product to promote''.
Sgt Paulin pointed out they were also the most popular choice for pre-loading students in Dunedin, and during O-Week he had seen "empty cans of White Rhino everywhere''.
Mr Mole also questioned the sale of single-serve "high octane'' cans of beer like Haagen, saying they were bought by people seeking "more bang for your buck''.
"It goes against the image you're trying to portray'', he told Mr Garnepally.
"I'm just saying that Haagen is more likely to be drunk on a park bench than anywhere else.''
Mr Garnepally told the hearing he and his wife owned three stores in Auckland, and his brother, Sricharan Garnepally, was running the Dunedin store.
It would continue to focus on wines from across the region, as well as organic and vegan-friendly wines, spirits, craft and non-craft beers, together with low-alcohol and non-alcoholic options, he said.
But, responding to concerns at yesterday's hearing, he also agreed to work with authorities on possible changes to satisfy their concerns.
The hearing adjourned with a decision expected by mid-May.
