ALAC welcomes rejection of liquor licence for warehouse

The Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) has welcomed a Liquor Licensing Authority (LLA) ruling rejecting an application by the Warehouse for a full off-licence selling beer, wine and spirits at its Albany premises on the North Shore.

``If the application had been successful, it would have set a precedent and other Warehouses and other large stores could follow suit, all seeking to sell the full range of products,’’ said ALAC Chief executive Officer Gerard Vaughan.

Opening up the market for spirits and RTDs could also result in further discounting and increased alcohol-related harm, he said.

``Studies show increases in alcohol prices lead to a reduction in a host of undesirable outcomes. On the other hand, cost cutting and heavy discounting leads to increased consumption and with it increased harm.

``We really don’t think the public need any more of a bargain in alcohol than they already get from the cut prices in supermarkets.’’

Although the Warehouse has licences at other premises to sell alcohol using the ‘store within a store’ concept, the company sought to license the whole store at its Albany premises to sell beer, wine and spirits. The company said this would allow customers to select liquor and then continue shopping.

In rejecting the application the LLA said it did not see the sale of liquor as an appropriate complement or accessory to the majority of items in the company store as required by law.

It was also concerned about the request to have the entire premises licensed.

This would allow the company to display liquor all over the store raising the prospect of ‘endless displays and cross-over promotions’.

The LLA also stated that ‘while the company intends to act conservatively in its venture into the liquor industry, it is entitled to change its corporate mind, and could apply to license all its branches’.