Perth Voice Interactive

MAYLANDS residents are lobbying for a WA liquor commission hearing on Woolworths’ plan to open a 990sqm Dan Murphy’s at the Peninsula Tavern site.

The $3.5 million Railway Parade redevelopment will include a family-friendly bistro, which locals are happy with, but many oppose the giant bottleshop that comes with it.

After winning planning approval, the Australian Leisure and Hospitality arm of Woolies has now submitted a liquor licence application with the WA department of racing gaming and liquor.

Chris Byrne, a father of two young boys who stays on Ninth Avenue, says Maylands doesn’t need another liquor outlet.

“Local residents and business already experience significant problems with street drinking, anti-social behaviour and violence around the Maylands centre,” he says.

“These issues will be only be made worse by a ‘destination’ liquor store, right next to the train station. The Dan Murphy’s will dwarf the heritage Peninsula Hotel next door.”

Ninth Avenue resident Kylie Bryant says the grog shop will fuel anti-social behaviour.

“Local residents and business already experience significant problems with street drinking, anti-social behaviour and violence around the Maylands centre,”

“I have lived here for 10 years and I am most concerned about the social issues,” she says. “My neighbours and I have experienced an increase in alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

“Many fights in the street, property damage, street drinking and only recently my girls with my mother in-law helped direct traffic around someone passed out drunk on the road.”

ALH manager David Curry says a community meeting was held earlier this year and 3000 letters were issued to residents.

“Through written responses received at the community consultation meeting and subsequent to that meeting, the vast majority supported the new development,” he says.

“ALH Group is committed to work with the community during the project approval phase and beyond.

“In this regard [it] has agreed to enter a formal management plan that includes local residents and Bayswater city council to regularly review the interface between the business operations and community.”

Labor Maylands MP Lisa Baker plans to lodge an official objection to the licence application.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK