12/06/2026
This week we received news that the District Licensing Committee has declined the off-licence application for Super Save Grocery Mart, on Oxford Street Levin located directly opposite our centre.
After three months of deliberation and legal submissions, this is a significant outcome for our community, reinforcing the importance of proximity, vulnerability, and community wellbeing in licensing decisions.
Last October, Super Save applied for an off-licence to sell alcohol from 7am to 10pm daily. Together with Whaioro Trust, we submitted a formal objection. In March, we both appeared before the District Licensing Committee to present our concerns.
Our concern was not about alcohol in general, nor about lawful business activity. It was about the specific location and what it means for a small, lower socio-economic community like Levin, where support services are heavily relied on and many people are experiencing hardship. There are already nine businesses selling alcohol within a 2km radius, so there was no need for another.
In communities like ours, the environment around organisations matters just as much as what happens inside them. Like all local service organisations, people experience wellbeing not only within our centre, but in the spaces immediately around it - walking in, waiting outside, and moving through their daily lives. Being less than 30 metres from a high-frequency alcohol outlet would have changes that environment significantly.
Whaioro Trust, our neighbours, provide essential support for people experiencing addiction and mental health challenges. The proximity of alcohol sales to recovery-focused services raises real concerns about triggers and the ability of people to sustain recovery in a supportive environment.
Our centre is a place of support and connection for a diverse range of people, our volunteers, and some experiencing isolation or crisis. In a small community, safe spaces are limited, and the wellbeing of those spaces is easily affected by changes nearby.
Our vision remains clear: a place where everyone thrives. This outcome affirms the importance of protecting that vision and ensuring community wellbeing is at the heart of decisions affecting vulnerable people.
