Katoomba ALDI Liquor rejected
The Casino, Liquor, Gaming and Control Authority has ruled against ALDI’s application for a liquor licence in Katoomba.
This news follows recent approvals for Woolworths Liquor in Leura and the Katoomba Dan Murphy’s.
The SMH quotes Chairman Chris Sidoti as saying:
“”I don’t know if there are areas that have too many bottle shops but certainly there are areas that have enough,” Mr Sidoti told the Herald.
He said two bottle shop licences had been granted in Katoomba in the past two years, which the authority had ”agonised over”.
”In granting those two we said, ‘OK, this is it. For the current level of population, our view is that it’s reached the level of density where any additional ones will have an impact on harm within the community.”
Those behind Cole’s mooted First Choice Liquor in Katoomba must be pondering their next step.
More industry comment at The Shout, reporting that ALDI sees their offer of limited range and non-refrigerated products as minimising immediate consumption and the associated harm.