Store owner wants all liquor stores to shut earlier

  • 26/08/2017
Store owner wants all liquor stores to shut earlier
Photo credit: Getty

The owner of seven bottle stores is appealing to the Palmerston North City Council to force alcohol stores across the city to close at 9pm.

Big Barrel director Baldeep Dhillon told Fairfax binge drinking is a result of people returning to the stores for "seconds".

"Then some people can think straight, and some can't, and they decide to go and get another."

Mr Dhillon says he's happy to take the loss of sales, because peak time is straight after work anyway.

However he says it needs to be a city-wide rule.

"I could do it myself, but that won't help when people can just go across the road."

Several councils have already imposed a 9pm closing time. The Palmerston North City Council has proposed bringing closing time back from 11pm to 10pm, but Mr Dhillon says that's not good enough.

A hearing on the draft local alcohol police will take place mid-October, giving the council time to read through a high number of submissions.

Newshub.