Residents fight liquor licence bid

CONCERNED residents are up in arms over an application for an offconsumption liquor licence application by BP South Africa, for the BP Pick n Pay Express in Salt River.

The protest, organised by the Woodstock Residents’ Association, Salt River Civic and the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance, Salt River Community Police Forum, and the Salt River Neighbourhood Watch, was held on Saturday, and saw around 50 people gathered at the BP Petrol Station, Salt River Circle.

Woodstock Residents’ Association chairperson Andrea Couvert said the organisations were objecting to the licence being granted, as selling alcohol at petrol stations risked increasing drunk driving, violence and crime.

“The go-ahead of the liquor licence request by BP and Pick n Pay is an attempt to set a precedent before an amendment takes effect that applies the Liquor Policy of 2016, which recommends that premises attached to petrol stations should not be awarded liquor licences,” said Couvert.

The National Liquor Policy of 2016 states that no liquor licence will be issued to petrol service stations; premises attached to petrol service stations; premises near public transport; and areas not classified for entertainment or zoned by municipalities for purposes of trading in liquor.

“The Woodstock community is suffering directly from alcohol-related harms, including the impact on physical and mental health, crime, violence and anti-social behaviour. Adding even more liquor outlets is against our interests as residents,” said Couvert.

Salt River Residents’ Association chairperson Warda Rahim said: “We do not need another liquor outlet.

“We have way too many in Salt River. There’s a liquor outlet 20m across the road from the BP garage. A second liquor outlet about 100m up the road from it, a church 25m across the road from the BP garage and two schools about 50m up the road from it. There is also another liquor outlet just around the corner in the main road.”

Contacted for comment on Monday, BP South Africa had not responded at the time of publication.