A liquor store ordered to close its doors after selling alcohol to minors
has been granted an appeal hearing in the High Court and can stay open until then.
Omanu Wines and Spirits in Oceanbeach Rd, Mount Maunganui, had its off-licence cancelled following a police sting in which three under-age
teenagers bought booze from the store.
The store's licensee, Raymond Sayed, also lost his manager's certificate and another licensee had her manager's certificate suspended for 30 days.
An appeal against the off-licence cancellation was lodged by the store last week.
The off-licence cancellation was to have gone into effect yesterday but has been postponed until the matter is determined at a High Court hearing in Hamilton on June 11.
The store will be able to operate as normal until then.
Mr Sayed said he was happy to have "won the right to be heard".
"We are looking forward to it," Mr Sayed said.
"It's good for our loyal customers. They have been very supportive. There have been no negative or derogatory comments from them at all."
Police opposed the store's appeal through the Crown Solicitor's office.
Tauranga police alcohol harm reduction officer Sergeant Nigel McGlone said appeals were part of the justice process and arguments in opposition to the appeal would be put before the High Court in June.
"From that point on, it's a matter for the High Court to determine," he said.
The police sting had involved three 15 to 16-year-old boys buying alcohol from Mr Sayed and his partner Pauline Crawford in early November and late December 2009. A hearing before the Liquor Licensing Authority last month was told no effort had been made to ask for identification.
It was also said one of the boys was a regular at the store at least every fortnight.
That was reinforced with bank statements, which showed evidence of the boy's eftpos card being used at the store.
Evidence was also given that Mr Sayed operated a system under which he gave out alcohol to customers who did not have the money to pay at the time.
