Hamilton City councillors back move to block new Melville bottle store

Councillor Sarah Thomson (with baby Leo), councillor Dave Macpherson and Matthew Small (centre) at the protest on Saturday. Photo / Paora Manuel

There was vocal opposition at the site of a proposed bottle store in Melville on Saturday.

Around 50 members of the Melville community took part in a protest objecting to an application made to open a bottle stole on the corner of Prisk St and Priscilla Cres in Melville.

Those driving past tooted their car horns in support.

The protest came about as a result of a petition started by Matthew Small, as an objection to the application. To date, nearly 1000 people have signed the petition.

"We have far too many liquor stores in our city already and opening another one in Melville which is a low-income area will not help our most vulnerable at all," Small said on the petition page.

The Melville community turnout to protest the bottle store on Prisk St and Priscilla Cres. Photo / Paora Manuel

The applicants for the off-licence bottle store on Prisk St in Melville, Deol Enterprises 2012 Ltd, hold the licence for Super Liquor Heaphy Tce in Fairfield. That licence for the Super Liquor was approved in January this year.

Hamilton City councillor Sarah Thompson said there is no need for more alcohol shops in the Melville area.

"Within a 2-kilometre radius there are already five premises that sell alcohol, we don't need another one," Thomson said.

Thomson said that "it does have an impact on the community".

"It's ridiculous that this application has come in. There's good evidence to show that, in particular lower-income areas, having more bottle stores causes more harm," Thomson said.

Councillor Dave Macpherson said Melville often gets left behind.

"It's a forgotten area. Over the years, I've delivered enough pamphlets around the area long enough to know where I go," Macpherson said.

One resident, Meighan, who was at the protest, echoed Thomson's statements.

"When we've got Housing New Zealand wrapped around us, we just don't need another liquor store because that's not helping people who are trying to turn their lives around," Meighan said.

Deol Enterprises 2012 Ltd, who submitted the application, have been approached by Waikato News for comment.