Auckland Council has unanimously voted for off-premise business to stop selling alcohol after 9pm, from 9 December, 2024.
After almost a decade of legal battles, Auckland’s local alcohol policy was adopted at last week’s meeting of the council’s governing body.
The policy will come into effect in two stages, the first changes will begin on 16 September 2024, when stricter rules for new off-licences opening in the central city and 23 other suburbs come into force.
These rules will mean that, from 16 September, any application to open an off-licence in these areas is likely to be declined for the next two years, unless a very high threshold is met.
Changes to maximum trading hours will come in three months later, on 9 December 2024.
From this date:
- Bottle shops and supermarkets across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will not be able to sell alcohol after 9pm.
- Bars, restaurants and other on-licences permitted by the District Licensing Committee will be able to sell alcohol until no later than 4am in the central city, and 3am outside of the central city.
- Sports clubs and RSAs permitted by the District Licensing Committee will be able to sell alcohol until 1am.
The policy will not impact special licences for festivals and events. These will continue to be assessed by the District Licensing Committee, as they are now.
The delay in the implementation of the policy is due to a legal battle with Woolworths and Foodstuffs which lasted eight years and went all the way to the Supreme Court.
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