Queen Street Woollahra: New bottle shop blocked from opening over crime, alcohol saturation fears

The state’s liquor watchdog has taken the rare step of blocking a bottle-o from opening its doors in Sydney’s leafy east after police and nearby traders argued it could ‘saturate’ the area with booze.

The state’s liquor watchdog has blocked a new bottle-o from opening its doors in Sydney’s leafy eastern suburbs after police, a nearby hotel and existing bottle-os argued it could “saturate” the area with access to alcohol.

The potential for crime and an existing density of bottle shops were among objections lodged to Liquor and Gaming NSW in response to plans by Ice Box Liquor to open a bottle shop in Woollahra.

Ice Box Liquor – which operates more than 20 other bottle shops across NSW – wanted to launch the store in the Queen St shopping strip as part of a “George’s Cellar” sub-brand targeting wine connoisseurs and a “mature customer base”.

The store would have operated on the Queen St shopping strip.

“It will cater for people who appreciate a carefully selected range of quality products, high quality products and personal service from qualified and experienced staff members,” the plans stated.

“The (outlet) will provide a variety of local and international wines and liquor products at an affordable price point.”

But NSW Police “strongly objected” to the application, stating it could have a “detrimental social impact” on Woollahra.

Ice Box currently operates two other George’s Cellar outlets in the eastern suburbs.

A photo of the former fruit shop where the store would have been located.

“The local community is ‘oversaturated’ with outlets where customers can purchase packaged liquor or otherwise consume liquor, which can lead to alcohol-related harm,” police wrote in their objection.

“Alcohol-attributable hospitalisation rates for the broader community are higher than the NSW state average as well as the average of major cities of NSW.”

Woollahra Council also opposed the store on grounds it was located too close to homes, 250m from two other stand-alone liquor outlets, 100m from Woollahra Hotel, and in proximity to other hotels including The Light Brigade.

“The approval would not be in line with the expectations, needs and aspirations of the local community,” the council said.

The Woollahra Hotel and local liquor stores Moncur Cellars and Jim’s Cellars also objected to the proposal – arguing the store could “encourage harmful levels of alcohol consumption” due to a membership program offering discounts and exclusive offers on alcohol.

Ice Box Liquor said the suggestion that Woollahra was ‘oversaturated’ with licensed venues was “overstated”.

“The socio-economic advantages enjoyed by the area provide protection against alcohol-related harm,” the company said.

“The store will not drive down pricing in the local community or introduce ‘cheap’ alcohol. Instead, the premises will provide a reasonable range of products in a convenient location.”

A photo of the proposed location.

Liquor and Gaming chair Philip Crawford, in his decision, said he had “serious concerns” over the social impact of the proposal.

“If the licence is granted, there is a risk that the liquor sold from the premises would exacerbate the existing alcohol-related problems in the community and over time contribute to an increase in alcohol-related crime, health and other social and amenity issues in the local and broader communities,” he said.

The decision has met a mixed response from locals including prominent Queen St hairdresser George Giavis.

Hair stylist George Giavis in Woollahra.

“If you had asked me in the middle of the lockdowns I would have said there could never have been enough bottle shops in Woollahra, and I don’t even drink,” he said.

“However with the recent rise in online alcohol delivery services which are very popular in the eastern suburbs I’d say any more bottle shops might create retail cannibalism.

“But at the end of the day, when it comes to any local retail strip, a leased shop is better than an empty one – the site’s been empty for more than a year and it’s not a good look for the area.”

Giles Edmonds, president of the Queen Street & West Woollahra Association, said he was supportive of the Liquor and Gaming decision.

“We’re not able to dictate which shops can and can’t open in the area but personally I think it’s the right outcome,” he said.

“We already have two bottle shops in the area so I don’t think it’s a huge loss that we’re not getting a third.”

If approved, the store would have operated at the site of the former Queen Street Fruit Shop and traded from 10am to 9pm on Monday to Saturday and to 8pm on Sundays

Ice Box is owned by the Owens family who have lived in the area for 25 years and operate two other George’s Cellar outlets in Waverley and Coogee.

Owner David Owens was contacted for further comment but did not respond at the time of publication.

Bureau of Crime Statistics from 2021 show the site is located within hot spots for alcohol related assaults, alcohol-related offensive conduct and incidents of malicious damage to property.