Traders in liquor split

By Casey Neill
FERNTREE Gully Village traders are split on plans for a second liquor outlet in the precinct.
One shop owner said the store would increase crime in the gully, but others said it would revitalise the area.
Luke Moore lodged a liquor licence application last July for an IGA supermarket at Shop 3, 107 Station Street.
His father, John, has managed the Foodworks supermarket and liquor outlet in nearby Alpine Street for the past 24 years.
The pair will run the IGA after John’s lease ran out last December.
John was reluctant to comment on the matter because it was awaiting decision.
A liquor licensing department spokeswoman said objections would be heard at an independent liquor licensing panel hearing at a date to be set.
Jenri’s Milk Bar owner David Jiang lodged an objection to the application last week.
“This particular licence will only benefit one shop at the expense of many other businesses, and more importantly the community,” he said.
Mr Jiang purchased the milk bar in July. He said a traders’ meeting last week was the first he heard about the licence.
“We never saw the notice in regards to the liquor licence process and no-one has mentioned to us that there would be another liquor outlet in Ferntree Gully,” he said.
Mr Jiang said the proposed bottle shop was just 100 metres from Ferntree Gully Railway Station and less than 50 metres from major bus stops, where hundreds of students passed each day.
He said the bottle shop would increase violent, drunken behaviour in the area.
“In Ferntree Gully we have already experienced a very high level of alcohol abuse and drug issues,” he said. “My shop has been robbed four times since July and three of them were by drunk youths.”
Mr Jiang said the liquor store would lead to higher insurance premiums, loitering youths would scare away customers and some shops would be forced to close.
“Governments at all three levels are working hard to improve the local business development and social harmony,” he said. “All this hard work can easily be wiped out as a result of this second bottle shop.”
The liquor licence was among several issues raised when Ferntree Gully MP Nick Wakeling and Dobson Ward councillor Sue McMillan met with Ferntree Gully Village last week.
Mr Wakeling encouraged people to lodge an objection if they disagreed with the licence. “If there are no objections they can only assume there are no problems with the application,” he said. “It’s up to community.”
He encouraged the divided traders to talk as a collective. “Whatever we do, it’s got to take the village forward,” he said.
Cr McMillan said most shop owners supported the licence. “For the most part they recognised it would enhance trade,” she said. She discounted claims the store would cause alcohol-related crime. “I would be very surprised if it were to attract behaviour like that,” she said.
A Community Visioning Workshop will be held at the Wattle Seniors Building at 160 Underwood Road, Ferntree Gully from 9.30am to midday on Saturday 21 March.