Bottle store part of larger complex

A new liquor store planned for Cromwell would be part of a larger retail development.

Cromwell New World owner Philip Ryan has applied for an off-licence for a purpose-built liquor store, Henry's Beer Wine and Spirits, in Elspeth St.

The store would open from 8am-11pm, seven days a week.

The application was heard by the Central Otago District Licensing Committee in Cromwell yesterday and the committee reserved its decision.

The off-licence was opposed by one of the store's neighbours, the Cromwell and Districts Presbyterian Church and also by Cromwell resident Hessel van Wieran.

Mr Ryan said he had been involved in the supermarket business for more than 25 years, had experience in the sale of alcohol and "a clean history of compliance'' with the law.

Henry's Cromwell would be part of a larger, purpose-built complex, including a storage building next to the new liquor store and a separate retail area on the northern side of the site.

He would seek consent soon for the 600sqm complex and, all going well, hoped to have construction finished by mid-2017 and Henry's open by September next year.

Giving evidence on behalf of the church, Christine Hansen said there were already plenty of places where the town's residents could buy alcohol.

" ... considering one of these is the supermarket, only a couple of hundred steps down the road [from the new liquor outlet] the positioning of this outlet is overkill,'' she said.

"The applicant's proposed building site leaves a lot to be desired with a church and an elderly people's village all within very close proximity.''

Church members worked very hard to give people a quality in their lives that "has been stolen from them through their addiction to alcohol'', Mrs Hansen said.

The church buildings were used every day, by many different groups, for all kinds of activities.

Mr van Wieran, a member of the Cromwell Youth Trust, said his concern was the easy access youth had to alcohol.

Reducing the number of liquor outlets and access to alcohol had been shown to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, he said.

Lynn Grace, on behalf of the the medical officer of health, said although the licence was not opposed, had the health agency been aware how close the church was to the site "it is likely we would have opposed [it]''.

Counsel for Mr Ryan, Malcolm Couling, said the objections from the church and Mr van Wieran were based on assumptions about what might happen, rather than hard facts.

There was no evidence noise or vandalism would increase as a result of the liquor outlet and no evidence drink-driving would increase.

" ... this objection is an all-too familiar one, rolled out by objectors who, at the end of the day, simply do not want a bottle store in their backyard. That is their real concern,'' Mr Couling said.

Granting an off-licence was likely to have no effect on the amenities of the area.

In his report, the Central Otago Licensing Inspector, Ray Applegarth said the applicant was a suitable candidate to hold an off-licence.

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