Liquorland to operate in West Auckland, partnering with The Trusts
Thursday, 8 July 2021
Soon, West Liquor will no longer be the only retailer West Aucklanders can buy alcohol from.
But the new Liquorland stores will still operate under The Trusts umbrella.
For 50 years, the Waitākere and Portage licensing trusts have controlled alcohol sales in West Auckland. They are two of only four licensing trusts in the country that still do so.
With its monopoly over alcohol, The Trusts are the only organisation that can apply to Auckland Council for a licence to run a bottle shop or restaurant with a bar all the way from Westgate to Avondale, and parts of Blockhouse Bay.
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Visitors to these areas are often left confused when staff tell them alcohol cannot be sold in West Auckland supermarkets.
On Thursday, The Trusts announced three existing stores in Te Atatū, Blockhouse Bay and Titirangi will soon become Liquorland franchises and a new Liquorland outlet will open In Hobsonville.
Despite not having The Trusts brand, the four stores will still be operated by the organisation and follow the same model.
In a press release, The Trusts chief executive Allan Pollard said the Liquorland stores would increase choice for the consumer and was part of its “multi-million dollar” investment programme planned for its retail and hospitality businesses.
The Liquorland stores would operate under a “hybrid model” that increased “the level of competition in the region” but still put money back into the local community.
“Our research shows our communities have a desire for the same retail options as any other parts of Auckland and New Zealand,” Pollard said.
“At the same time we have designed this new model to ensure profits from stores operating under the Liquorland brand in the area will continue to be donated to local charities and community groups.”
West Auckland Licensing Trusts Action Group (WALTAG), which has been pushing to remove The Trusts’ monopoly since 2018, said it was a “positive development” overall.
However, spokesman Nick Smale said it didn’t address the main issues his group had.
“It’s not the bottle stores. It’s the dry supermarkets and lacklustre bars,” he said.
Positives of the announcement were that it was a good change for consumers given Liquorland’s success elsewhere, Smale said.
“It also sets them up should the monopoly end.”
Smale said it appeared The Trusts had chosen to rebrand stores in “affluent” parts of West Auckland where voter turnout was highest.
He also disagreed with Pollard’s comments that the Liquorland stores would bring competition to the region.
“It's a big stretch to say it is competition. It's not competition – it's a different banner under the control of the same owner.”
Liquorland NZ chief executive Brendon Lawry said the partnership with The Trusts meant West Aucklanders would get an increased product range.
This included different spirits, craft beer, gin and whisky.