Editorial: Cap on bottle shops sensible

Communities are also being given more of a voice when it comes to new liquor outlets in their neighbourhoods. Photo / File

Setting rules around alcohol and liquor licensing can't be easy.

Rule-makers have to balance the line between people's legitimate right to buy a bottle of wine for a late dinner or enjoy a night out with friends against the irrefutable fact that alcohol consumption causes untold harm to individuals, families and communities.

Sit in Rotorua District Court for a day and what's the recurring theme? Booze.

Walk through the city in the early hours of a Saturday morning and you'll likely see drunk people, some underage, stumbling down the streets. Drink driving, health issues, the list of alcohol-related harm goes on.

The Rotorua Lakes Council's Provisional Local Alcohol Policy, which looks set to get the sign-off this month, includes a number of measures that councillors hope will reduce underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.

On the whole, they appear to have listened to the community's feedback, without going overboard.

The restrictions on the granting of new off-licence applications make the most sense.

It's not like there is a dire shortage of bottle stores in the city. There is no need for new ones to be popping up within 1km of another, or within 500m of schools.

Communities are also being given more of a voice when it comes to new liquor outlets in their neighbourhoods, with special attention being paid to those in higher deprivation areas.

Similarly, the one-way door policy at late night bars is not an unreasonable restriction and will be supported by the majority of local bar owners. After all, they don't want drunks causing trouble at their establishments any more than the council or police do.

Take the time to have a read of the policy on the council's website, if you haven't already.

It's an issue that affects everyone, drinkers and non-drinkers, because it affects the health and well-being of the city we live in.