POLICE have decided not to object to a pizza restaurant's application for a special licence to deliver alcohol with pasta and pizza meals.
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It leaves just Warrnambool City Council as the only objector to the bid by Bojangles which will be heard tomorrow before an independent panel.
Warrnambool-based licensing inspector Wayne Chatters said yesterday he had sought advice from his superiors in Melbourne after learning of the application last year and was told existing controls over alcohol sales were sufficient to address concerns.
"When I first learnt of the application I thought it was unusual, but Melbourne said it was not uncommon," he said.
"If alcohol is being delivered to a place of abode it won't have too much impact on public amenity.
"This application will have little adverse effect if the total volume of alcohol consumed in Warrnambool is not increased. It will be just a further outlet.
"Conditions will entail a limit on the quantity of alcohol delivered which is not to be supplied to a person under 18."
The hearing before a panel appointed by the director of liquor licensing will be heard in the Warrnambool Magistrate's Court complex from 11am tomorrow.
City councillors on Monday night decided to "draw a line in the sand" and oppose the application which Bojangles said would have a limit of six beers or one bottle of wine with delivered meals, but would not be an alcohol-only service.
If approved it would be the city's only official delivery service involving alcohol.
The Royal Hotel stopped its Dial-A-Dozen deliveries more than four years ago.
Warrnambool Radio Taxis director Gavin Beavis confirmed that sometimes customers who were well known by drivers paid to have alcohol picked up from a sales venue and delivered to private residences.
"It would be pretty rare and would be on the basis of the driver-customer relationship," said.
"But if someone just rang up asking us to deliver a slab of beer or a bottle of Scotch - that's not on."
Royal Hotel proprietor John Bonney said he decided to cease home deliveries when he took over the business.
"The big problem is you don't know the age of the person ringing for the alcohol," he said.
"We still have people sometimes ringing up for deliveries, but there would have been only six calls in four-and-a-half years."
The panel will hear both sides of the Bojangles issue and prepare a report for the Director of Liquor Licensing to consider in his decision.
A spokesperson for the Director of Liquor Licensing said there were 178 home food delivery businesses with licences to also deliver liquor.
"While there have been no reported incidents relating to this issue, the Director of Liquor Licensing has not granted a licence for home delivery of liquor in the past year," she said.
"This reflects the rigor in which these licences are being assessed.
"It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure their staff (including couriers) are adequately trained and understand their obligations under liquor licensing laws. It is the responsibility of the person who is making the sale to ask for identification if required.
"Fines of up to $7,000 can be applied to licensees for supplying liquor to an under-age person."
