Some Cape Town liquor traders have lost up to 50 percent of their daily profit since the city’s new liquor by-law came into effect.
|||Cape Town - Some Cape Town liquor traders have lost up to 50 percent of their daily profit since the city’s new liquor by-law came into effect on Monday. And they will soon be left with no other choice but to retrench staff.
“All we are pleading for is an extra hour at night,” said Jack Cullinan, head of the Blue Bottle Liquor Group, which represents over 40 liquor retailers in the city.
“I’ve received over 20 calls from retailers - they are distressed. One retailer in the Capricorn area told me he’d lost 50 percent of his business because of the new trading times.
“Another trader in Somerset West has lost 30 percent of his daily business. The biggest problem is having to close at 6pm. Between 6pm and 7pm is our busiest time.”
Cullinan said “more than half our clients come in after 6pm”.
The by-law bans the sale of alcohol on Sundays and prohibits off-site sales after 6pm on weekdays, including Saturdays.
Johnny Telo, owner of the Spar Tops liquor outlet in Vredehoek, said: “This is not rational. People only get home after 6pm and they want to enjoy a glass of wine. This by-law doesn’t make sense. We are getting punished and the illegal guys are benefiting.”
Cape Argus