Publications
Partners
An application to have liquor trading hours extended at Pick n Pay Family Store and Shoprite Liquor shop in Fish Hoek was opposed by the Subcouncil 19 meeting on Monday 18 March.
According to subcouncil reports, the two stores applied for extended liquor trading hours from 18:00 to 20:00, Monday to Saturday and from 11:00 to 18:00 on Sundays.
In their application, Pick n Pay cited that customers found it difficult to purchase alcohol before 18:00 on a weekday.
“Due to working hours, a significant percentage of customers find it difficult to purchase liquor before 18:00 on weekdays. The extension of trading hours to 20:00 would allow them to do so, as at other Pick n Pay stores.”
Meanwhile, in their application, Shoprite said the “playing fields will be levelled”, with illegal liquor traders.
Another reason was that “longer trading hours” meant more shift work and “maximum productivity”.
“The longer the trading hours of the store, the more shifts are required . . . jobs and additional income for individuals.
“Public consumption of any commodity boosts economic growth.”
While no comments were received from the local Community Policing Forum (CPF), community-based organisations, interested parties or traffic and law-enforcement departments during the public participation process, former Ward 64 councillor Aimee Kuhl rejected the application.
In an objection in November last year, she opposed the proposal, saying: “Since liquor is being sold in the Fish Hoek arcade centre by this establishment. We have street people buying alcohol and drinking it in Main Road and in front of the post office. They also urinate on the pavement. The Fish Hoek Improvement District and CPF can attest to this.”
Subcouncil 19 chair Simon Liell-Cock confirmed that the applications were opposed due to public drinking on the streets of Fish Hoek.
“We turned the applications down because there’s a lot of public drinking taking place in Fish Hoek. We had a walk around with law enforcement and have seen people drinking at the train station, behind the post office in First Avenue and there are bottles of alcohol everywhere, so there’s a lot of public drinking going on.”
Meanwhile, an application by Checkers Muizenberg for the extension of liquor trading hours on weekdays from 18:00 to 20:00 and Sundays from 11:00 to 18:00 went unopposed.
In Ocean View, an application by HB-Inn Liquor Store to trade longer hours during weekdays also went unopposed.
“The application was supported for weekdays only and they did not apply for trading hours on a Sunday,” said Liell-Cock.
