Cricket club liquor licence to be decided

– Rebecca Fraser
A LIQUOR licence application made on behalf of a Narre Warren South-based cricket club was heard in Melbourne last Tuesday, attracting several objections.
A spokesperson for Liquor Licensing Victoria (LLV) said Maranatha Methodist Cricket Club’s (MMCC) liquor renewal application had been heard in a panel hearing and several objections to the proposal had been tabled.
The application would mean the MMCC could sell and consume alcohol in their club rooms at Strathaird Reserve, Narre Warren South, between designated times.
The LLV spokesperson said the panel would report its findings to the director of Liquor Licensing, and a decision was expected next month.
The application has already attracted much attention in the community with one Narre Warren South resident claiming MMCC secretary and Casey councillor Rob Wilson had put the interests of his cricket club before the community.
As reported in the News on 29 September, Suzanne Brendel collected more than 30 signatures objecting to proposed licence hours, which included 11pm on most weeknights, and from noon until midnight on Saturday and Sunday.
However, these hours were revised in October and to 6pm to 10pm Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 11.30pm Saturday and noon to 10pm Sunday when Casey council expressed support for the application.
At the time Cr Wilson said the club had operated a similar licence out of Fotheringham Reserve, Dandenong, for 20 or 30 years and was very responsible with the serving of alcohol and would continue to be so.
“This is a simple replicate of the existing licence,” he said.