Eco-warriors in action over school holidays

Children attending Takapuna Library holiday programmes over the last fortnight did their bit for the environment with activities including a beach clean-up, making a bird feeder to take home and participating in a clothes swap

Local board allows cafe to apply for liquor licence

Takapuna Beach Cafe has been granted a lease variation by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board that will allow it to apply for a liquor licence.

But the amended commercial-lease conditions recommended by council staff were not unanimously agreed, with two board members believing a more thorough process should have been followed.

Cafe owners Neil and James Bryant have had the unlicensed premises on council reserve land at 2a The Promenade since 2019, with the original lease dating back to 2008.

The business wants to sell alcohol to seated cafe customers inside and on its decks.

Neil Bryant told board members that “people ask for drinks on a daily basis”.

The cafe had no intention to operate as a bar, or into the evenings, he said.

The existing lease allows the cafe to trade from 6.30am to 7pm during daylight saving, with 6pm closing in winter.

The board approved the lease variation, by four votes to two, requiring that the tenant obtain and continue to hold a Class 3 on-licence and comply with its conditions. Members

George Wood and Gavin Busch voted against. Wood said the cafe’s application omitted detail such as the overnight liquor ban that applies in the reserve between 9pm to 7am during daylight saving and from 7pm to 7am in winter.

Rather than a variation to the lease, he believed its reserve-land location might have required a new consent. This had been indicated as the procedure some years ago, he said. Board staff noted the liquor licence application would go through a public notification process, allowing for community input.