Community prevails after 10 year battle

Some of the locals involved in the campaign to close the liquor store on Wickman Way

Just over ten years since the Wickman Way liquor store opened in Māngere East, it has been ordered to close by the High Court by November 14. 

Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae principal Arihia Stirling heralded the decision, given her concerns about the potential for alcohol-related harm on the area’s young people.

“I'm just so grateful for every community and person that was involved in this 10 year saga of trying to save our kids.”

Te Kura Māori o Nga Tapuwae principal Arihia Stirling, centre, with students in 2020. The liquor store is in the background of the picture, showing just how close the store is to the school.

The bottle store has held an off-license since 2014, despite opposition from nearby schools, the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, the Māngere East Community Centre and ME Family Services. 

Since then the store’s license has been regularly challenged by locals, with Auckland Council’s licensing inspector deciding to appeal the store’s license all the way to the high court. 

Communities Against Alcohol Harm’s (CAAH) secretary Dr Grant Hewison says getting the store closed is a good example of Māngere’s “community power” to fight for what people believed was best for the area and will inspire others to do the same. 

“Māngere has led the way … and it has now gone nationwide and there are communities all over Aotearoa New Zealand who are following the same model.”

Watch youtube video filmed by Amiria Puia-Taylor and the Ōtāhuhu-Māngere Youth Group from a campaign event outside the store in 2014

Māngere East local Emily Worman says there’s also a great sense of relief their battle is now over.

“It's such a celebration because we've done this for a long time and we don't need to worry about it anymore.”

Community activation outside the front gates of Southern Cross Campus, October 2019, across the road from Thirsty Liquor Wickman Way