Kirribilli: residents launch petition over Liquorland store

A plan to open a Liquorland outlet is ruffling feathers in Kirribilli with residents claiming the bottle-o could “degrade” the suburb and lead to a spike in “anti-social behaviour”.

A liquor retail giant planning to open a bottle-o in Kirribilli is facing stiff opposition from residents, who have vowed to fight the proposal due to fears it could “change the face” of the suburb.

More than 300 people have signed a petition opposing a proposal by Liquorland to set up shop at 1/27-29 Broughton St, opposite the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Plans show the outlet would trade from 9am to midnight Monday to Saturday and 10pm on Sundays, offerings customers a “diverse range of both domestic and international wines, beers and spirits” reflecting “contemporary consumer demand”.

But residents opposed to the plan fear the store could “degrade” Kirribilli, make the suburb “less liveable”, and lead to a spike in late-night “anti-social behaviour”.

Lead petitioner Robin Low said the bulk of concerns centred on the existing concentration of liquor outlets in the suburb.

“We already have three bottle shops and licensed venues and a fourth one isn’t needed and isn’t wanted – we’re really aiming to see that it isn’t approved,” she said.

“There are residents living very close (to the proposed site) and it’s the last thing you’d want open at that time of night.”

The store would be located at the former House of Fruit shop.

North Sydney Council has backed the community campaign with councillors unanimously voting to call on Liquor and Gaming NSW to reject the retailer’s liquor licence application.

The submission will include concerns over the “negative social impacts” of a concentration of liquor outlets in Kirribilli, traffic congestion and the “adverse impacts” of the late night operating hours.

Mayor Zoe Baker said the bottle shop could “change the face of the area”.

Residents fear it could result in anti-social impacts in the suburb.

“If this were approved and given a licence there’d be four bottle shops within a 150m radius and that’s in addition to various other licences in a very small village with two major schools nearby,” she said.

Councillor MaryAnn Beregi also raised concerns over the “the correlation between the availability of alcohol and subsequent negative social impacts”.

Similar concerns have been raised by Dennis McLaughlin – chair of the North Shore Community Drug Action Team.

North Sydney mayor Zoe Baker is opposed to the store.

“There are multiple studies showing that the more bottle shops there are in a suburb, the instances of violence goes up and no area including Kirribilli is immune,” he said.

“It’s going to bring people into the area who drink well into the early hours and could cause all sorts of mischief.”

In a statement, Coles – which owns Liquorland – said the company “would engage with government and regulatory stakeholders as well as the local community in Kirribilli” as part of the planning process.

A generic photo of a Liquorland store.

A Coles spokeswoman also confirmed the store would showcase Liquorland’s new “black and white format” stores and feature a “tailored range of local wines, boutique spirits and craft beer.”

“Coles Liquor is committed to the responsible service of alcohol and we are proud of our reputation as a responsible liquor retailer,” the spokeswoman added.

Councillor Jilly Gibson – a long term resident of Kirribilli – said the council’s chances of “blocking” the development were slim as the proposal would ultimately be determined by Liquor and Gaming NSW.

Ms Gibson, however, said there could be potential for the council to challenge the midnight operating hours, which would be subject to a development application for the council to determine.

Councillor Jilly Gibson said the chances of blocking the development were slim.

Many residents signing the petition have meanwhile called for the site to instead be made available for alternative uses such as a speciality grocer, a newsagency, butcher or a delicatessen.

Ms Low said another bottle shop would “not provide Kirribilli something we don’t already have”.

“We’ve already lost a lot of things in Kirribilli – the deli, the butcher, the greengrocer and the newsagency – the whole amenity of the area is declining and another bottle shop detracts because it takes up space where something else could go that would add to the community.”