Fleurieu Gin given green light to open at Myponga as neighbour’s liquor licence appeal fails

A South Australian gin distillery has won its year-long legal battle against neighbours to open a new venue.

Fleurieu Gin at Myponga has been granted a liquor licence after a year-long battle. Picture: Supplied

A $2 million gin distillery and function space in Myponga has been given the green light to open, after neighbours’ attempts to halt the project failed.

Fleurieu Gin has spent the past year in a legal stoush with neighbours, as their plans to open their distillery were scuppered by a series of appeals over issues including noise, traffic, and fire risk.

The distillery was given the green light when an appeal of its liquor licence was dismissed in a hearing on Thursday.

Fleurieu Gin at Myponga. Picture: Supplied

Thursday’s Licensing Court hearing saw Fleurieu Gin granted a licence to serve alcohol to up to 200 people between the hours of 11am and 5pm, with extended hours to 9pm on Saturdays.

Consumer and Business Services records revealed that the liquor licence officially came into effect on Friday.

Fleurieu Gin co-founder Shane Magor said he was happy the legal battles were finally over, and the business could properly open its doors to the public.

He told The Advertiser the distillery had been unable to open through the Christmas period, resulting in a “significant financial loss”, as he had to turn away up to 300 bookings.

“We finished (construction) and got the certificate from council on the fifth of December, hoping to be able to trade immediately,” Mr Magor said.

Co-founder Shane Magor says he is relieved with the outcome. Picture: Supplied

“That’s when the liquor licence appeal was lodged, and it was referred to the liquor licencing court.”

Objectors had twice tried to halt construction through appeals, claiming the distillery would cause disruption, despite living several kilometres away from the site.

Mr Magor told The Advertiser in December that the process has had a “big impact” on his physical and mental health.

“I get emotional thinking about it. There’s stress on the marriage, there’s financial stress, I’m not sleeping … it’s been huge,” he said at the time.

Despite the efforts of the objectors, Mr Magor now says the distillery has been mostly welcomed by the community.

“It’s been fairly amazing the support that we got from so many locals and even people that we’ve probably never even met, that were sympathetic to our issue,” he said.

He said the supporters were “appalled” by the process Fleurieu Gin had to go through.

The site includes a distillery, cellar door, restaurant/cafe and a function centre for up to 200 people.

Originally published as Fleurieu Gin given green light to open at Myponga as neighbour’s liquor licence appeal fails