Whanganui 's Black Bull Victoria Ave liquor licence approved

Black Bull owner Sahil Sharma (left) and his lawyer Jonathan Wiles at the licensing committee hearing. Photo / Bevan Conley

The Black Bull Liquor store in Victoria Ave was subject to "high" surveillance with no fault found and has had its licence approved for another three years.

The decision follows a public hearing on June 15.

Black Bull Victoria Ave is the last off-licence that can be approved before Whanganui's Local Alcohol Policy imposes a cap.

The store started trading in August 2019, the decision says. It is owned by Sahil Sharma of Shree Sai Holdings Ltd. It had to re-apply for a liquor licence after its first year and the application attracted six objections.

It was not opposed by Whanganui District Council Chief Alcohol Licensing Inspector Warrick Zander, Whanganui Medical Officer of Health Patrick O'Connor or a representative of New Zealand Police.

There was public opposition when the licence was first granted, and the store has been subjected to high surveillance. It had six official inspections, including two by Zander, and another inspector observed it weekly.

There were closed-circuit TV cameras trained on it as well.

Sharma owns 13 liquor stores in the lower North Island, and five in Whanganui. During two controlled purchase operations - where people under the legal age of 18 attempted to buy alcohol - none was sold in any of Sharma's stores.

The high surveillance and lack of opposition were important factors in the decision to renew the licence, the Whanganui District Licensing Committee's decision said.

Only two of the objectors met the criteria for speaking at the hearing - that of having an interest greater than that of the general public. They were Wade MacKinnon and Angela Stratton, who live within 1km of the store.

Whanganui District councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan was an objector who did not attend the hearing, and might have tried objecting on behalf of Whanganui District Council or the Whanganui District Health Board if she had.

"It is up to the objector to convince the committee of its standing and unfortunately the objector in this instance was not able to be present," the decision said.

MacKinnon objected on the grounds that the store was close to a petrol station and people buying petrol might be tempted to drink and drive. But the committee said the two were 38m apart and camera surveillance found little evidence of drivers walking across to buy liquor.

MacKinnon's evidence about the store's relationship to litter and disorder also fell well short of grounds to refuse the renewal.

Stratton's objections, that alcohol is harmful to health and the building is ugly, were not considered by the committee.

The way trading took place at Black Bull Liquor was deemed "suitable" overall.