Bottle shop given go ahead for expansion

A MENZIES Avenue bottle shop will expand into a neighbouring store despite concerns about significant public drinking problems in the area.
Greater Dandenong councillors last Monday approved the proposal at 52-54 Menzies Avenue, which didn’t alter the shop’s hours from 9am-11pm or its ‘red line area’ for supplying alcohol.
Councillor Angela Long, in favour of the initiative, said the applicant had owned the store for a long time in the an area which had a growing in patronage.
Cr Peter Brown said it was a false assumption to link the size of the store to the amount of anti-social drinking.
Cr Jim Memeti said the shop’s expansion was a “good story”, allowing the operator to move alcohol away from the entrance.
“We’re making it a lot easier for families to enter the store (without being confronted by alcohol).”
Cr Matthew Kirwan, who opposed the move, said the 100 square-metre expansion of the shop would allow it to “dramatically increase” the amount of alcohol sold in the shop.
“The current groceries can be moved to the new shop and the old shop area filled with alcohol.”
He said the approval would damage the council’s public safety project in the adjacent Menzies Reserve.
“What we have done so far in Menzies Avenue, like the new basketball court, has brought children back in great numbers to this reserve.
“Do we want to cause detriment to this major investment by council… by this application going ahead?”
– CAM LUCADOU-WELLS