The managing directors of a new childcare centre to open in Albert Town have applied for an alcohol licence for a cafe which shares a section with the facility.
The Mountainside Educare Centre and the Double Black Cafe will open later this month in the 263-lot Riverside Park subdivision.
In an alcohol licence application to the Queenstown Lakes District Council, applicants Chris, Dot and Jillian Macfie said alcohol sales would not affect the child care facility.
"The type of cafe we are, if we are serving alcohol, would not affect the childcare as the childcare hours would be during our lower alcohol serving hours.''
They said it was "unlikely'' other licensed businesses would be built in the area.
The target market for the business was "local residents, young families, trade workers, mums with their kids,'' the application said.
Dot Macfie told the Otago Daily Times yesterday the business planned to sell beer and wine.
"The target clients are the Riverside community.
"Not at all the parents; it is the Riverside community.''
She said if there was opposition to alcohol being sold at the cafe the situation would be re-evaluated.
"As a problem arises we would look at it.
"We don't have to have this facility [alcohol for sale] and we just want to respond to what the community wants.
"So if the community made it clear to us they didn't want that, then we are quite happy having a cafe without alcohol.''
Mrs Macfie said alcohol would be sold with food.
"The licence is for with food.
"It is always with a meal.''
QLDC regulatory manager Lee Webster said the application would be reviewed by an inspector next week.
