An opposed off-licence renewal application for Bottle-O Cumberland was heard by Dunedin's district licensing committee this morning.
It was opposed by police, the medical officer of health delegate and the chief licensing inspector, and University of Otago proctor Dave Scott and public objector Scott Stücki also lodged objections.
The applicant, Kitt Enterprises Ltd, had sought to increase the store's trading hours to 9am-10pm daily.
Its current hours are Monday and Tuesday 10am-8pm, Wednesday to Saturday 10am-10pm and Sunday 10am-6pm.
At the hearing, Kitt Enterprises' sole director Brendan McCarthy said, after reviewing the agencies’ submissions, he had formally amended his initial application and now sought hours of 9am-9pm, seven days a week.
This change would resolve all the agencies' concerns and create ‘‘a safer outcome for the community’’.
The store denied a lot more customers for intoxication between 9pm-10pm, Mr McCarthy said.
Acting Sergeant Chelsea Didham said, statistically, the peak hours for alcohol-related harm "astronomically skyrocket after 9pm, and don't slow down until about 3am the following day".
‘‘It's widely known that the student quarters are a hive for alcohol-related activities, which brings with it a high proportion of alcohol-related harm.’’
By voluntarily closing the premises earlier, which he had also been doing since July, Mr McCarthy showed he was committed to minimising alcohol-related harm, Acting Sgt Didham said.
Police submitted data which the committee heard appeared to show less alcohol-related harm, within a 1km radius of the store, recorded between January and March this year compared to other years, since about 2019.
Acting Sgt Didham said there were peaks and troughs of alcohol-related harm by year, and ‘‘it really dips when the students aren't here’’.
Committee chairman Colin Weatherall said there was ‘‘no indication’’ the offences originated from or were directly contributed to by the applicant.
Mr Stücki said there was anecdotal evidence that student numbers were dropping.
The rate of house parties was also going down and there were fewer events and less drinking on the street in North Dunedin.
‘‘Things are moving to more of an invite-only kind of situation, off the streets and into the houses.
‘‘That doesn't necessarily mean that there is less drinking.
If Mr McCarthy understood the vulnerabilities of the area before submitting his application, then he would have never asked for the initial extended hours, Mr Stücki said.
The sought-after 9am opening time should not be discounted.
‘‘You go to any supermarket, any bottle store in Dunedin, there's always one or two people hanging around outside, looking there for their fix.’’
People who bought alcohol between 9am-10am ‘‘are most likely alcoholics and most likely have issues,’’ he said.
Chief licensing inspector Tanya Morrison said the change in hours was ‘‘very pleasing’’.
However, she questioned why Mr McCarthy still sought an earlier opening time, of 9am, for every day of the week.
‘‘Given the locality of students, I would be surprised if there was an influx of customers that early in the morning.
‘‘Some may be up early, I would imagine it's more of an afternoon trade.’’
During a site visit to the store in August, she had been ‘‘quite impressed’’ with the systems in place and with Mr McCarthy's knowledge.
The premises was regularly monitored and she was not aware of any issues that had arisen to date, Ms Morrison said.
Medical officer of health delegate Aaron Whipp said the amended trading hours were ‘‘a constructive and responsible step’’ which supported the minimisation of harm in the heart of the city's student precinct.
But the changes still represented an in increase in Sunday trading ‘‘which may contribute to additional alcohol-related harm in this vulnerable community setting,’’ Mr Whipp said.
He had no concerns about Mr McCarthy's systems, nor the management of or security at the bottle store.
‘‘It is incredible the amount of investment in security that this business has actually laid into the premises.’’
While it stocked a ‘‘high amount of RTDs’’, this was understandable given the community it was based in, he said.
Mr McCarthy said he had been the sole operator of the store over the past 20 years.
Extended the closing time on Sundays was not because of students.
‘‘I've had a lot of local customers that keep on complaining that we're closed so early on a Sunday.’’
The committee reserved its decision.
