Bermagui Woolworths' BWS hotly debated

Gordon Steele owns the family run Cobargo Hotel with his wife Julie, and objected to Woolworths’ application as having a larger company in the near vicinity with the potential to offer cheaper prices could affect his business. 

The Woolworths owned company Beer Wine Spirits (BWS) is applying for a liquor licence for a shop within the complex the company plans to build in Bermagui.

“It is fine to have competition, but is it a fair playing ground with the buying power that big companies have?” he said. 

“I could buy a product from Woolworths cheaper than I could buy the same product from the same company.” 

Cobargo Hotel is part of Bottle Mart Express, and in Bottle Mart Express’ most recent pricebook from February this year a wine product cost $6.58 excluding GST which Mr Steel sold at his hotel for $9.99 and $8.99 on special. 

This same product is in a recent Dan Murphy’s specials ad as being sold for $6. 

In another example, a slab of RTD mix drinks was in the pricebook as $74.29 including taxes which Mr Steele sold as $86.99, but cost $62 at Dan Murphy’s. 

“That’s the sort of competition we are up against,” he said.  

“I believe everyone should have the right to buy a product at the same price big companies pay for it.

“We are the only country in the world that only has two major players in the market [Woolworths and Coles], call it a duopoly, but other countries don’t allow that to happen.

“If we were able to purchase products that Beer Wine Spirits purchases and sells at the same price, they wouldn’t have one in Bermagui in the first place because there are six outlets in this area already [in Cobargo, Tilba and Bermagui].”

Mr Steele said Woolworths do spend “a fair bit” on sponsorship but said so do the smaller businesses in the community, and the Cobargo Hotel itself donates to sporting events and the Rural Fire Service.

“I’ve been here for five years in this family run business,” he said.

“In the last five years our sponsorship and donations and in kind is over $40,000 that we’ve put back into this community.”

If the application for Woolworths liquor licence in Bermagui is successful, it has the chance off affecting the Cobargo Hotel where Mr Steele employs nine people.

“It has the possibility of affecting this business, which would affect employment and sporting bodies in the local community as a whole as we wouldn’t be able to donate and sponsor,” he said.  

“I think the senate should have an inquiry into how come bigger companies are able to sell products cheaper than what we call the ‘mainstream industry’ can buy it for.” 

LIQUOR outlets in Bermagui have voiced their concerns about BWS's application for a liquor licence in the town. 

Owner of Bermagui Cellars Fran Trenerry said she had concerns about the social impacts if the licence was approved. 

“It’s not about us, it’s about the town,” she said. 

“It would definitely impact on our business, but that’s competition.

“I’m not concerned about that, I’m concerned due to the other issues.” 

The major issues according to Ms Trenerry are increased access to alcohol and BWS’ longer trading hours. 

BWS is seeking approval to open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday in their application (BDN, 5/9). 

Bermagui Cellars on the other hand close at 6pm most days and 6.30pm Friday’s, and speaking yesterday Ms Trenerry this can change depending on events in the community. 

“Take Father’s Day, we will shut down at 5 o’clock today because it is a family day,” she said. 

Customers have spoken to Ms Trenerry about their concerns with a new liquor store, the most common issues being access to alcohol, lack of police presence and having more bottle shops than the town needs.

If the licence is approved, as there is a population of 2000 in the town it would mean 500 people per bottle shop.

“If we had a population of 8000, sure, maybe we might need it then,” Ms Trenerry said. 

“But how much alcohol do you need in a town?” 

Bermagui Beach Hotel licensee manager David Webster also objected to the application as he said there were enough liquor outlets in town.

“There is three already, and for a town this size we don’t need another,” he said. 

“I’ve got no problem with Woolworths being up there, but to have a liquor licence and the way they have done it … I wasn’t impressed.”

Mr Webster said the current liquor outlets in town have a good relationship with each other.

“The three outlets that are in the town already, we make sure what we are selling and who we are selling to wont be detrimental to the town,” he said.

“We have a good relationship with each other with the way we look after the town.” 

He said there were both positives and negatives to having Woolworths in Bermagui, including possibly impacting on the look of the town and its businesses.

“It might impact on some businesses," he said.  

“But it would bring more people to the town which would hopefully help others."