Some South and West Auckland liquor stores fear they could lose up to 40% of their business under new rules preventing the sale of alcohol after 9pm.
Auckland Council has unanimously voted to stop off-licenses selling alcohol after 9pm from December 9. There will also be a two-year freeze on new bottle shops opening in some town centres from September.
But while businesses were worried, community advocates said the new rules would reduce alcohol-related harm.
The new rules will also mean no liquor stores can open within 200m of a town centre in 23 suburbs with the highest alcohol-related harm.
Mount Wellington was one of those suburbs. Super Liquor Mount Wellington usually stayed open untill 11pm and owner Parem Jeet Singh said that was because they got 40% of their sales after 9pm, mostly from shift workers in the industrial area.
“They are the people who is our main customer … they come over here and know this is the business open till 11pm.”
When Checkpoint was in the store after 9pm, the customers kept coming.
Singh said losing the extra two hours of business every night would be the equivalent of 14 hours of paid work for staff each week.
“There’s going to be a huge loss in the business, which I’m worried about. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Glen Innes was also on the list, and Checkpoint’s second stop of the night. Thirsty Liquor was open till 10pm, owner Johal said they also relied on late-night shift workers coming through after 9pm. But on the weekends, it was the late-night party goers coming in the most.
There was a security door which Johal closed after 8pm to control who could enter.
“Things [have] now changed a lot — before it was very safe, but after Covid things are different. People come and grab a bottle and just run away.”
Even though it was a mid-weeknight, there was still a steady stream of customers popping in — about 10 in 15 minutes.
Data from the National Public Health Service showed between 2018 and 2023, 76% of alcohol on, off and club licence applications were granted in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Johal said rules around new off-licence stores setting up shop were well overdue.
“The decision is good, but it’s too late — we don’t want four, five or six liquor stores in Glen Innes. It should be one or two.”
At the supermarket, the prospect of not being able to grab some alcohol after 9pm at night got a mixed reaction. Multiple shoppers RNZ spoke to said they did not usually buy alcohol after 9pm, and the new rules were a good idea.
“I think it will reduce the accidents — drink-driving especially,” said one shopper.
“It may reduce the amount of people drunk on the streets,” said another.
‘This is what happens’
Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Ward Councillor Josephine Bartley had been pushing for the new rules. She said alcohol-related harm was rife in the community.
“I used to do the community patrols that would be 10pm to 1am, and we would see a lot of fighting, a lot of drunk people.”
As chatted outside Thirsty Liquor Mount Wellington, a group of intoxicated males began yelling.
“See, like this — this is what happens when you have liquor stores open late at night.”
There were 40 off licenses in the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki ward. In the Māngere Ōtāhuhu ward, there were 12.
Secretary of Communities Against Alcohol Harm lawyer Grant Hewison said the decision was years in the making and a milestone for Auckland.
“A significant achievement for Auckland, and I think for New Zealand. And in terms of other councils, they will be looking closely at what Auckland Council has achieved and I’m sure they’ll be taking a lead from that.”
By Louise Ternouth of rnz.co.nz