Licensing Sergeant with the Mid North Coast Local Area Command John Lawrie said police would oppose any move by supermarket giant Coles-Myer to open a seventh takeaway bottle shop in town.

Last week Coles revealed it had started the licensing application process for a new Liquorland outlet it plans to open in Riverfront Plaza.

Sgt Lawrie said police concerns over the number of liquor outlets in Kempsey had already been raised by news Cellarbrations would open early next month.

And those concerns had only deepened with the announcement Coles planned to open a similar store next door.

“We definitely have the same concerns,” he said.

“Alcohol related crime is an issue in Kempsey, in fact alcohol is an issue full stop.

“For some public order matters we’ve had to call the riot squad in from Sydney.

“The amount of outlets in Kempsey is already enough. Any further ones are only going to enhance the existing problems.”

Sgt Lawrie pointed to statistics in the Kempsey Shire’s Social Profile Report released by the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing in February, which show the region already has significant alcohol-related issues.

“The number of weekend alcohol related assaults is higher in Kempsey than the rest of the State, while incidents of driving under the influence are almost double that of the NSW average, and we want to open more liquor outlets?” he said.

Other licensed premises in town have also raised their concerns with Sgt Lawrie through meetings of the Macleay Valley Liquor Accord.

“And it’s not just the added competition,” he said.

“They know the problems we already have.”

He said Kempsey was already on the verge of going the way of towns like Bourke, which has instigated stringent rules in regard to alcohol, such as a restriction on sales of glass bottles from takeaway liquor stores or other licensed premises.

“That can’t be discounted in Kempsey,” he said.

“The only way we’re going to beat this is through a joint community and all agency response. Anyone who dis- agrees is kidding themselves.”

Sgt Lawrie said since sweeping changes were made to licensing laws in NSW last year, the number of applications for packaged liquor licences had increased alarmingly.

He said some parts of Sydney had even put freezes on such applications because of the rising number of alcohol-related incidents.

Such a freeze has never existed in Kempsey.