It is difficult not to feel some sympathy for South Dunedin business Wests Ltd as it battles through a prolonged district licensing hearing in a bid to retain its alcohol licence.
The business has been part of the city for 139 years, during which time it has sold alcohol, fizzy drinks and flavoured syrups.
But changes in the 2012 Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act mean Wests no longer meets the guidelines to hold an off-licence and an application to renew the licence has been challenged.
In a hearing late last year, Medical Officer of Health Dr Marion Poore opposed the application, arguing the business was attempting to run a shop within a shop, selling alcohol and fizzy drink in the same premises where all customers used the same door and the same till.
Young people visiting the store to buy fizzy drinks were also being exposed to an R18 licensed environment, alcohol-related signage and logos.
Dr Poore said that was a concern because of the link between exposure to such material and future alcohol consumption patterns linked to alcohol-related harm.
The impact of alcohol on young people has been well documented and readers of this newspaper regularly see the damage misuse of alcohol can cause in a community.
There is also no questioning the positive role Dr Poore has had in the battle to reduce alcohol-related harm in this city, and indeed, nationwide.
But Wests has also made a huge commitment to Dunedin and, as such, deserves respect, rather than being dealt with in a broad-brush approach.
The hearing reconvened last week.
Wests' owners Kaye and Alf Loretan should learn their fate in the next few weeks, but have spoken of the "huge emotional toll'' fighting to retain the alcohol licence has taken on them.
It is the country's oldest continuous manufacturer of cordials and soft drinks, is 100% New Zealand-owned and employs 10 staff.
Rather than blanket legislation, perhaps there needs to be an "existing use'' clause within the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, whereby new legislation only applies to new businesses or existing businesses which breach liquor regulations.
Many people have contacted this newspaper questioning how the legislation can come down hard on Wests while some supermarkets and grocery stores openly display alcohol to anyone who ventures inside the store, regardless of age.
As for youngsters being exposed to alcohol-related signage and logos, one only needs to look at the clothing of some professional sports teams' - emblazoned with alcohol branding - which arguably is more eye-catching to young people than a store in South Dunedin.
But the Act has specific provisions which apply to supermarkets and not to Wests.
Medical Officer of Health Dr Keith Reid told this newspaper last year the Act allowed hotels and taverns, supermarkets, grocery stores and online retailers to hold off-licences.
It also included alcohol manufacturers, but only if alcohol was their principal business, and retailers, but only those which earned at least 85% of their revenue from alcohol sales.
Wests did not qualify under the manufacturers' provision and might also not meet the new 85% threshold.
Supermarkets qualified for off-licences under the Act, but still faced new rules on where alcohol could be displayed, and how it could be advertised, designed to limit exposure.
These new rules were being implemented on a "rolling fashion''.
That may be well and good, but surely most young people are more likely to regularly frequent a supermarket - and come across alcohol in that environment - ahead of a small firm in South Dunedin.
Wests, a long-standing business, has an unblemished record when it comes to the sale of alcohol.
That should surely count for something.
