Raumati alcohol licence application approved
By Alan TristramThe Kāpiti Coast District Licensing Committee has approved an alcohol licence for a new bottle store at Raumati Beach on the Kapiti Coast.
The Raumati Village Liquor Centre will operate from premises at 3-5 Raumati Road, next door to the pub, where alcohol has been sold since the 1980’s.
There was some strong local opposition to the proposal, but the Committee has decided that the argunents in favour outweigh the objections.
The off-licence application was approved subject to the following conditions:
• no-one under 18 being allowed on the premises without a parent or guardian
• trading only between 9am and 9pm seven days a week
• no single sales of RTDs and mainstream beer
• no external product price advertising.
The bottle store will be within the commercial and retail hub adjacent to the Marine Gardens and Raumati Beach. There are two other liquor stores and five restaurants or bars operating in the same area. The surrounding area is alcohol-free between 9pm and 6am.
The Committee heard from a number of objectors. Common themes included whether alcohol should be sold near schools and other ‘sensitive sites’, potential nuisance and vandalism, the number of liquor outlets already in the area and the proposed days and hours of trading.
But the Medical Officer of Health, Police and Licensing Inspector did not object to the application.
Licencing Committee Chair, Councillor Diane Ammundsen, 
says the Committee was satisfied that the applicant was an experienced liquor industry operator with appropriate systems, staff, training and equipment to comply with the law.
“We did not consider that another alcohol sales outlet operating in the area would significantly increase levels of noise, nuisance and vandalism.
“Having listened to submissions from all parties, including the objectors, and taking into account the requirements of the law, we were satisfied that the application met all required criteria and that the off-licence application could therefore be granted.”