Alice Springs bottle shops reduce operating hours voluntarily

BOTTLE shops in Alice Springs have voluntarily reduced their operating times to just three hours

Police stand by outside the Alice Springs police station as rallying protesters gathered on Thursday. Picture: Emma Murray

BOTTLE shops in Alice Springs voluntarily reduced their operating times to just three hours on Thursday.

And patrons looking to purchase alcohol in the reduced time frame were not able to buy bulk amounts.

A purchase transaction only allowed for one carton of beer, three bottles of wine or one bottle of spirits.

The initiative was described as “a community response” as large numbers of people gathered in the Red Centre and around the country to protest the alleged police shooting of Kumanjayi Walker in Yuendumu on Saturday.

The Gap View Hotel, a popular bar and bottle shop establishment in Alice Springs, took to Facebook to alert patrons of the changes.

“... our bottle shop will be open from 4-7pm only. Restrictions apply,” the online post said.

“This may also be the case on Friday, we will keep you posted.”

Some online comments suggested the action was pandering to the wishes of NT Police.

The Gap View Hotel responded by saying it was in important time for anyone in Alice Springs to contribute to “aiding in a positive outcome to the current situation”.

“This is a sensitive time for the community with emotions running high, it is an action we have all agreed to, to assist with helping to keep the community safe from alcohol fuelled violence which could be directed to innocent members of our community,” the post said.

“Our actions will be seen as pandering to the powers that be and some may even suggest we are not sincere in our actions, we all live in Alice Springs and while we are often not always in agreement with the policies adopted by Government and its agencies, we do not want to see the Police have to deal with more aggression which may escalate to other very nasty situations.”