Some Mercury readers have questioned the need for a new Dan Murphy's store at North Wollongong, saying the city's entry is now a "grog corridor" due to the high concentration of bottle shops.
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Construction workers moved into the long-vacant block next to North Wollongong railway station this week, with developers saying the retail and commercial building, approved in 2010, would be finished by Christmas.
The Woolworths-owned liquor barn will be the anchor tenant in the single-level development, which is metres from Coles' discount First Choice store and across the road from North Wollongong Hotel.
"Do we really need a Dan Murphy's right next to First Choice and across the road from the pub?" Tina Lynne asked on the Mercury's Facebook page.
"Now the entry into the mighty Gong is a grog corridor ... great work!" Dave Fildes said.
Reader Chrissy Soldi pointed out there were two BWS stores, the Cabbage Tree Hotel and Coles' Liquorland at Fairy Meadow, which she said was "toooooo [sic] many for the drunks to choose from - that is seven liquor stores in [a] one kilometre range".
However, another commentator on the Mercury's website said the development would mean "more jobs and gets us consumers more choice and competitive pricing which leaves me with spare change at the end of the week".
Other readers asked how another takeaway liquor licence would be approved by the state authorities, given the scrutiny they gave to Keira Street bar Humber's licence, which has now been approved.
"So they had to investigate the granting of a liquor licence to Humber but another wholesale alcohol barn is OK? Hysterically funny if it wasn't so sad," Scott Le'Moth said on Facebook.
Wollongong lord mayor Gordon Bradbery has also been concerned about the possible effects of take-away alcohol outlets, saying he did not understand how there was a market for so many similar stores.
Cr Bradbery confirmed the council was the approving body for the development application of such retail complexes, but said the approval of the liquor licence was the responsibility of licensing police and the state government's regulatory agencies.
"I sympathise and agree that there is some concern about another [outlet]," he said.
"The other thing is that I'm concerned about its impacts upon university students.
"It's not far from the colleges and it is just putting too much temptation in the way of young people."
He said cheap alcohol was one of the city's biggest problems, especially in terms of overuse and its mixing with energy drinks.
"A lot of domestic violence is fuelled by alcohol abuse."
kmcilwain@fairfaxmedia.com.au