The Liquor Licensing Board of Grand Cayman has ratified the Chairman’s decision for Jacques Scott Wine and Spirits to move one of its liquor stores to a new shopping complex in Savannah.
Members of the Savannah/Newlands community hold up placards in the foyer of Customs Headquarters Thursday. Photo: Cliodhna McGowan |
The news the Jacques Scott store has been given a variation in licence to move from Red Bay Plaza to Countryside Shopping Village came Friday morning. It followed closed board member deliberations after a quarterly session at Custom’s Headquarters on Thursday.
Jacques Scott’s application has caused quite a stir since just before its first hearing by the board on 8 March.
Members of the Savannah/Newlands community and Church of God objected on the grounds that it is a traditionally dry area. The objectors are against the liquor store being in a main shopping area which children will frequent with parents. They said they also feel the store will lead to drink driving and subsequent related fatalities.
However, Peter Dutton of Jacques Scott assured the objectors that the company would be a good neighbour; it would be a high end store that would not sell liquor in small quantities in order to deter unwanted patrons.
The store is moving from Red Bay Plaza, which is being knocked down for road improvements, with tenants to vacate their stores in less than two months’ time.
At the initial hearing on 8 March, Jacques Scott had presented the Liquor Licensing Board with the signatures of 654 Countryside Village customers from Savannah and Bodden Town that had no problem with the proposed licence transfer, compared with a list of 93 objectors.
However, since then, public meetings have seen support grow for those opposed to the store.
Following the 8 March meeting of the Liquor Licensing Board the decision was deferred pending further deliberations.
On 7 May Chairman of the Board Mitchell Welds made a decision under Section 13 (1) B of the Liquor Licensing Law to approve the variation in licence, and the board was to consider it at Thursday’s 7 June quarterly meeting.
Following the chairman’s decision, Health Minister Anthony Eden called on him to resign, but the chairman rejected it, noting that he acted within the law.
The Grand Court gave directions on 5 June in respect of the 7 June Liquor Licensing meeting not to hear any more representations relating to the application in question.
A group of about 20 Savannah/Newlands residents opposed to the store turned out at Thursday’s 7 June meeting, although they were not permitted to make any public representations to the board.
At the meeting legal representative of the community Waide DaCosta said that they have a 90 day window for a judicial review on the decision made.
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