Myer’s plan to sell champagne, alcoholic hampers rejected by NSW Liquor and Gaming

A Myer department store will remain an alcohol-free zone after the retailer was blocked from selling booze-filled Christmas and Mother’s Day hampers and high end bottles of champagne.

Retail giant Myer has been blocked from selling liquor products, including booze-filled Mother’s Day and Christmas hampers, at a major Sydney shopping complex after the state’s liquor watchdog found it could promote “irresponsible practices” towards the consumption of alcohol.

The Myer department store at Castle Towers will remain an alcohol free zone after the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority rejected a liquor licence application lodged by the retailer back in 2020.

The application included setting up a dedicated 92 sqm liquor sales area next to the bedding and linen department which would offer various “personalised” liquor products and hampers, as well as occasional “tastings” and liquor “demonstrations” in connection with suppliers.

Myer said the primary intention was to have the sales area trade during celebratory periods such as Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

The set-up was also intended to sell high end bottles of booze such as Moet and Chandon with the option of having customers’ choice of names engraved on the bottle.

A photo of the Myer store at Castle Towers.

But the proposal drew the attention of NSW Police which raised concerns that the liquor sales area was not adequately designed to operate as a licensed area.

Police also raised concerns around staffing arrangements for the sales area that was not proposed to include a permanent security guards presence while in operation.

A photo of the Castle Towers shopping complex.

The retailer in its application argued the bulk of products sold would be for consumption at home, rather than on site, and therefore the premises would not operate as a traditional liquor store.

The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) was not convinced the layout of the licenced area – cordoned off by bollards and rope – would set adequate boundaries around the area and the rest of the department store.

ILGA chair Philip Crawford, in his decision this month, said there were added concerns regarding the intended business model and primary purpose of the sales area.

“The authority considers that if the licence is granted there is a risk that the business model of the proposed premises would physically and visually integrate (with the Myer store) and potentially result in issues relating to irresponsible attitudes and practices towards the promotion, sale and supply of liquor,” he said in his decision.

A promotional photo of a ‘Moet Merry Christmas’ offered by Myer.

Myer wanted to stock some of the products in Christmas hampers.

In a statement, Myer said the proposal had been designed to meet customer demand for alcohol products particularly during festive periods.

“Like other states where we have sold these hampers for many years, we take the responsible sale of alcohol very seriously,” a spokesman said.

“We believe our application met all relevant requirements and conditions, but will be reviewing the decision.”

Myer said the majority of products would be sold for special days such as Christmas.

Myer, in its application, said the store was proposed to be manned by staff with responsible service of alcohol training and would be similar to sales areas in the Victorian Myer stores that offer liquor products and tastings. The Myer outlet in Sydney’s CBD is also allowed to sell liquor products.

The application was rejected by NSW Liquor and Gaming.

“Throughout Australia, Myer operate 28 stores with liquor licenses and at no stage has Myer CBD store or its employees been subject to any complaint or assertion that the sale of liquor from the store has had or contributed to an adverse impact on the social wellbeing of either the local or broader communities,” the company’s application stated.

“The proposal is not contentious and does not seek to establish what would normally be considered a retail bottle shop.

“The tastings and demonstrations proposed are providing an attraction for the store and will be at a price point that discourages excessive drinking.”

Myer has similar active liquor licence applications to sell alcoholic products at its Macquarie Park, Chatswood and Miranda department stores.

The Myer spokesman declined to say whether the rejection of the Castle Hill application would have implications for those proposals which remain under assessment by Liquor and Gaming NSW.