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The Far North District Council [FNDC] confirmed an application was made to sell and supply alcohol at 6 Williams Rd, Paihia, in the centre of the Bay of Islands tourist hotspot.
Swastik Group Limited applied for the off-licence on November 13, the council said.
The applicant’s plan was to operate a supermarket at the site of a former fire station and a small Woolworths supermarket.
If granted, the off-licence would have meant alcohol could be sold Monday to Sunday from 7am to 10pm.
The council said 19 submissions were received by the December 19 deadline, all of which were objections.
However, Bayleys Bay of Islands real estate agent Gary Lucas, who listed the property, said the company had backed out of the tenancy because of about 30 objections.
“They pulled out on the basis of the 30 objections to the liquor licence; they declined to proceed with the tenancy,” he said.
“It was reliant on the licence being approved. The protracted process for them to receive a liquor licence took too long.”
Lucas said the application was for a special supermarket licence which would have allowed only beer and wine to be sold, not spirits or RTDs (ready-to-drink products).
Swastik is listed on Company Hub as a New Zealand Limited Company, registered in October 2024.
The company directors declined to comment.
Residents have opposed a liquor licence application in Paihia.
While most has happened on Kings Rd, a backpacker strip used for temporary accommodation during the Covid-19 pandemic, there has also been boozing and disorder on Paihia Beach and Marsden Rd which caused headaches for residents.
Paihia business owner Grant Harnish said the small town didn’t need another liquor outlet.
“We’ve got five or six already, I don’t think we need any more.
“It’s not that big a town to have five liquor outlets, it’s probably enough.”
Focus Paihia chairman Peter Robinson said the application was brought to his attention two days before submissions closed.
While Focus Paihia “has no position on it”, the community charitable trust wanted to ensure the community was informed and was aware of their right to comment or object, he said.
Robinson said he personally hoped “it does open”.
“My personal opinion is any shop left empty in the town is not a good thing.
“I’m not sure we need another place to buy alcohol from, but not sufficient enough that I would object to the licence.”
The Williams Rd building – which is owned by Far North Holdings, a commercial trading and asset management arm of FNDC – is back on the market as a lease opportunity through Bayleys Bay of Islands.
It is listed as a 257sq m building with a 50sq m secure yard, and 12 dedicated car parks.
Commercial use zoning allows for a wide range of uses, including retail, medical, commercial, education, tourism, hospitality or food service, the listing says.
The lease is listed at $90,000 a year plus GST.
Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.
