Coronavirus: Booze limit at West Auckland liquor shops during lockdown
Wednesday, 25 March 2020
Extra security and a strict six-item alcohol order will be in place at West Liquor shops in West Auckland as they prepare for an influx of customers during the national lockdown.
New Zealand goes into total lockdown, except for essential services, from 11.59pm on Wednesday.
Alcohol shops have been ordered to close except those in Licensing Trust areas such as West Auckland, but with a strict one in-one out policy.
Countdown stores across the country have also introduced a booze limit for its customers – two per customer, starting from Wednesday.
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The Trusts acting chief executive Matt Williams said that from Thursday only seven of its 23 West Liquor outlets will remain open and customers will only be allowed to buy a maximum of six items.
People will only be able to get booze if they order ahead, either through phone or email. No in-person orders will be accepted at stores.
'This is the only way people will be able to purchase from us,' Williams said.
Customers will be advised on pick-up times and store location for later collection and on arrival at a store, a duty manager will check ID through the glass.
Williams said once approved, doors will open and the duty manager will deposit the order before returning inside.
'After this, the customer will be able to collect their order.'
The six-item per order limit includes a maximum of two bottles of spirits, six bottles of wine or three cases of beer.
Williams said they had a good core range of alcohol stocked to meet the demand and they didn't expect shortage to be an issue.
'We will review the effectiveness of this as the situation progresses.
'We are doing our best in these difficult circumstances and we ask our customers to show our team members kindness and respect.'
When New Zealand moved into alert level three, The Trusts implemented a number of measures to reduce contact in its stores, including contactless payments and restricting the number of people in stores.
'From Thursday, how we do business will change to a completely contactless order method.'
He said the measures were being put into place to ensure employees were safe, queues were managed and people were maintaining social distancing.
'We ask all New Zealanders to be patient and kind with each other as we work through this difficult time together.'
West Auckland's liquor sales are governed by two trusts, the Portage Licensing Trust and the Waitakere Licensing Trust, which are collectively known as The Trusts.
The Trusts operates liquor and hospitality outlets in West Auckland, from parts of Mt Albert to as far as Kumeu in north west Auckland.
Stores open:
West Liquor Railside
West Liquor New Lynn Central
Village Wine and Spirits Te Atatū
West Liquor Westside
West Liquor Glen Eden
West Liquor Cellar Court
West Liquor Kelston