Passionate community opposition may not be enough to stop the granting of an alcohol licence for a new bottle store in Rakaia.
Rakaia Community Association chairman Neil Pluck and five "witnesses'' fronted a District Licensing Committee (DLC) hearing last week to voice concerns.
Townhill Ltd, run by Michael Brown, who also owns Thirsty Liquor Darfield and Thirsty Liquor Waimak, is proposing to open an outlet at 114 Railway Terrace.
Mr Pluck said he and the community association opposed the application because Rakaia already had four off-licence outlets and "didn't need number five''.
Some 32 members of the community had telephoned, or spoken to him to share their concerns and the opposition hearing was "about having a crack'' at stopping it.
Mr Pluck said there were already eight locations to drink or buy liquor in Rakaia, more than enough for a small town with a population of around 1100.
Hard liquor sales would increase and more booze advertising would influence drinkers to drink more if yet another outlet opened, he said.
The proposed store was in the middle of town and his greatest concern was that it would lead to an increase in cheap booze sales.
He said news of a proposed liquor store in Methven a few years ago had driven other outlets in the township to reduce prices, even before the new outlet had opened.
Mr Pluck was supported in his opposition by five Rakaia locals.
The quintet were excluded from the hearing for the first two hours of submissions because the applicant's counsel, Peter Egden, argued that their answers to cross examination questions would be influenced by the what Mr Pluck said.
Mr Egden said his client was an experienced industry operator, who had a number of successful licenced premises to his name.
He said the proposed Thirsty Liquor Rakaia outlet would be laid out and run along the lines of his client's businesses in Darfield and Waimakriri, which had good systems in place and were run well.
The community could be confident that his client would operate Rakaia Thirsty Liquor in a "responsible and safe way'' if granted the licence.
Applicant Michael Brown said there was no current stand-alone bottle store in Rakaia and he believed his customer base extended well beyond the township and into nearby rural areas.
He said there would be no major advertising on the outside of the shop, instead small posters would promote specials.
His shop would offer a wider selection of products than was currently available in Rakaia, including low alcohol beers and high quality whiskies.
He said there would be cameras inside and outside of the shop and pull bars would likely be fitted as well.
Mr Brown said he would open seven days a week from 9am until 9.30pm.
No objections were received from the police, representative of Medical Officer of Health, or the district's licensing inspector, Leo Ratten.
A decision on the application is expected in the next couple of weeks.
