The Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority dismissed an appeal by the Halswell Residents’ Association to allow Bottle-O Halswell to open a store at 29 Ensign St.
In December, Bottle-O Halswell Ltd was granted an application to open the store, but the decision was appealed by the association.
Halswell Residents’ Association secretary David Hawke said it knew the odds were stacked against it.
“But we still felt it was worth giving it a go. Even though we lost we are still glad we attempted it,” he said.
The association will now be working towards lobbying for the city council to develop its Local Alcohol Policy.
Mr Hawke had previously said the drawn-out process has highlighted “significant deficiencies” in alcohol inspectors and the knowledge base of agencies and district licensing committee members.
