The application by TK Spirits to open a bottle store next to the library has had a long legal history, being declined by the District Licensing Committee, appealed to ARLA (Alcohol Register and Licensing Authority), then reheard again in the Hamilton High Court. Â
The High Court has reached its decision and cancelled the liquor licence granted by ARLA to TK Bottle O in 2024. The Court said ARLA made errors in a number of areas in coming to its decision.
If the original applicant wanted another re-hearing by ARLA, the judge directed ARLA to apply the Waikato District Local Alcohol Policy ( LAP) which was approved in 2025.
That council policy prohibits any new liquor licenses for standalone bottle stores being granted for the Main Road shopping area in Te Kauwhata.
Te Kauwhata had one of the largest number of submissions against new bottle stores in the village centre when the Local Alcohol Policy was originally heard by the Waikato District Council in 2022.Due to the changeover of the council, there was a significant delay in adopting the Local Alcohol Policy, which was not ratified until three years later, in 2025.
Over 80 people put in submission of objection to the liquor application for the BottleO store. They were assisted in the legal process by a nation-wide charity, Communities Against Alcohol Harm (CAAH) legal team a who helped the objectors through the hearings by the DLC, ARLA and the High Court.
It took well over 18 months for the process to flow through the various legal channels, and many hours of work preparing for and attending hearings in front of DLC ARLA and the high Court.
Local residents also supported the legal team by attending the hearings in large numbers, demonstrating that the wishes expressed by the community and consistently held, can make a difference despite the lengthy process..
