Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Drinking at Whangarei park

By Nikolai Smith
Northern Advocate·
20 Jun, 2013 02:58 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Whangarei police are monitoring a central city park after concerns from neighbouring businesses and residents about groups of people drinking there throughout the day.

Residents and workers close to Carruth Park on Maunu Road have raised concerns about people drinking in the park, with some saying they are too scared to walk through the area.

"They've often got brown paper bags with alcohol. Every time we go out and do the banking they're there," said a person who works close to the park but wishes to remain anonymous.

It has been an issue for at least three years, but residents and workers claim it has escalated since Whangarei Liquor Centre opened in November on Maunu Road, right beside the park.

However, the liquor store owner, who does not want to be named, disagrees with suggestions that his store is contributing to the problem and says they are getting their alcohol elsewhere.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I don't like people drinking there. We don't serve these people. We've known the people [drinking in the park] and we say 'sorry buddy, we can't serve you'. We've rung the police and told them," he said.

He has educated his staff about the problem and told them not to serve people they know hang out in the park.

Residents and those working near the park claim the issue has rendered the park useless to others, with groups of up to 20 people drinking there at a time.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A 20-year resident of First Ave, who lives close to the park and wishes to remain anonymous agrees that the liquor store is fuelling people drinking in the park.

However, police say the liquor shop is not encouraging alcohol consumption in the park.

A man and woman drinking in the park, who both wish to remain anonymous, say Whangarei Liquor Centre tries not to sell liquor to people who drink in the park.

"He doesn't sell liquor to anyone who's in the park. It's not fair," the man said.

The woman said the liquor shop sold her six single Park Lane drinks on Friday. However, on Sunday, "I tried to buy a 12 pack of Black Ice, but he didn't serve me and accused me of selling [alcohol] to underage. Last year, the police stopped and had a chat but didn't move us on," she said.

The man said when he was drinking at the Rose Gardens on Water St last year, where the liquor ban is in place, he was told to move on to Carruth Park by a police officer.

"Heaps of people walk through but don't have any problems. Put some more tables there, if the complaint is taking up the tables," said the man.

Northland District Police spokesperson Sarah Kennett said the liquor store has given police an undertaking that they are not supplying alcohol to the people drinking in the park.

"The store has been very obliging to our Alcohol Harm Reduction Officer's request to remove most of the advertising material from in front of the premises and have engaged with the promotion of health resources to their patrons. If they are not committing any disorder offences then they are lawfully entitled to remain in the public space," said Ms Kennett.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales
Northern Advocate

Far North homes without power after severe gales

More than 170 customers south of Cape Rēinga are still without power.

17 Jul 08:26 AM
'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi
Northern Advocate

'Economic growth is key': Luxon discusses Northland's potential with iwi

17 Jul 06:02 AM
Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime
Northern Advocate

Northland businesses unite for CCTV initiative to combat crime

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP