Editorial: Time to rethink liquor licences

I have always thought one of the great things about our country is free enterprise.

Anyone with enough money can set up a business and try to make as much money as they can as long as they are within the law.

So, believing this, I found Saturday's story about a group of Cameron Rd shop owners fighting to stop a liquor store from opening in their retail patch interesting.

The shop owners argue there are already nine licensed premises in the 500-metre area around 11th Ave.

These include places where you can consume alcohol and others that only sell it to be consumed elsewhere.

They believe nine is too high and another licensed business will only fuel problems created by the homeless and unruly teens, who they say keep making a mess in a nearby alleyway.

When I first heard about this story, I immediately sided with the man who wants to set up the new store.

My initial thinking was that it is his right to open a legal business and make an honest dollar, as long as he gets the appropriate liquor licensing approval.

The man, Harjit Singh Rai, says he has lived here for 12 years and used to own a Four Square. He argues there are two liquor stores on the other side of the road so he should be allowed to set up shop, too.

He also goes to lengths to point out that he will follow the law and not sell to minors.

But after reading the story and examining the map featuring the liquor stores in the area, I am not so sure this shop is a good idea.

The other business owners have put up a strong case about the problems they blame on alcohol and fear their business will be affected. One talks about customers saying they'll go elsewhere.

There are already two nearby supermarkets on the side of the road Mr Rai wants to operate from and I find nine places with liquor licences in a 500m range to be quite a high number.

Why do we need another one?

But I think these worried businesses are fighting a lost cause and will need an actual law change to win.

The Tauranga District Licensing Agency at the council says it needs to be consistent with the Sale of Liquor Act 1989 and development and refine itself through case law. A transparent and consistent level of service to the industry and community is required.

It sided with a controversial new liquor store in Papamoa last year despite community objections and Paul Mason, team leader in council liquor licensing, believes the law might favour Mr Rai.

If the store does go ahead, I think the council has an obligation to work with these worried businesses on cleaning up problems caused in the area by the homeless and delinquents.

A review of the country's liquor laws would also be timely.