THE owner of Orange’s Alpine Foodworks store, who has applied for a liquor licence, says he is doing everything he can to work with police to address their concerns, but that isn’t enough for some Orange residents.
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Foodworks owner Pranav Patel says his intention is to provide an additional service for his customers, and he has given police an assurance he will not sell cut-price alcohol.
“We are expanding our whole business and refurbishing as the building is quite old, and including alcohol is for the convenience of our existing customers,” he said.
Mr Patel said liquor sales would not be available after the supermarket closes at 7.30pm.
“We will be closed well before a lot of other liquor outlets in Orange,” he said.
Mr Patel said he was also prepared to change the original hours of sale to work in with police.
“So I have decided we will not start selling until 12 o’clock each day,” he said.
Nearby residents Pat Fardell and her neighbour Alex Cozens oppose the liquor outlet.
“I have lived here for 30 years and, as it is at the moment, people coming past drunk and yelling out is a disturbance,” Mrs Fardell said.
“Orange has enough liquor shops and this will just lead to more unruly behaviour,” Mr Cozens said.
Head of Orange City Council’s community safety and crime prevention committee, councillor Jason Hamling, will have Cr Glenn Taylor’s support when he puts a motion to Orange City Council on Tuesday night asking for council to object to the application.
Cr Hamling and Cr Taylor have major concerns about the social impact of a liquor outlet in a residential area close to a childcare centre and residences.
“I think it is a ludicrous idea,” Cr Taylor said.
“I just don’t think the location is right, and it will add to a lot of problems which already exist in the community due to violence directly attributable to alcohol consumption.”
Canobolas Local Area Command crime manager Bruce Grassick said it was not the job of police to recommend to NSW Liquor and Gaming whether or not an application should be approved.
He said, however, police had an obligation to do a community impact study to forward to the body.
“There are concerns to be addressed such as the demographics of residents in the area, and there is a childcare facility opposite,” Inspector Grassick said
Head of Orange’s Liquor Accord Bill Kelly said the argument exists that there are too many liquor outlets in Orange.
“We may think we have saturation, but then look at the number of coffee shops there are,” he said.
A NSW Liquor and Gaming spokesman said liquor applications could take up to four months to be considered once the application and subsequent police submission had been received.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you think we have enough liquor outlets in Orange, and do you think the application should be rejected?
janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au
