FrontPage
Since the recent liftingof the moratorium on new licenses for three months, there wouldinevitably be a substantial ...
Rise in Liquor Licenses
Following the liftingof the moratorium placed on the granting of new liquor licensesfor a three-month period, it is understood that there are as manyas 62 new applications to be considered by the Liquor LicensingBoard at their next meeting.
These applications, if granted will createslightly more than 25 percent licenses over the present rosterof the 230 in existence.
Recently, there has been a significant amountof public discussion in connection with the granting of new licensesbeing sought, in particular by Grand Caymans' largest supermarketchain, Foster's Food Fair to sell liquor.
In response, the company has issued a pressrelease outlining the circumstances whereby they have made theseapplications for their three stores at the airport, along WestBay Road at the Strand Shopping complex, and in West Bay.
The following is the full text of the Foster'sFood Fair release in connection with their application:
"The owners and management of Foster'sFood Fair would like to state to all their valued customers, vendorsand concerned citizens that they are not applying for a packageliquor license with the intention of selling package liquor.
The laws of the Cayman Islands require usto have a package liquor license to sell cake wines and tonicsused by our customers for their various cooking and medicinalneeds. The products that we need licenses to sell are: Cake MixWines, Cooking Sherry, Cooking Wines, Wincarnis, Phospherine andBay Rum.
We are repeatedly asked by our customersto carry these products. It is in the spirit of providing goodcustomer service that we are attempting to provide these products.Unfortunately, there is no category or provision under the liquorlicense law to accommodate this request without getting a fullpackage liquor license.
Foster's supermarkets have three locations.Two of these locations have liquor stores in the same plaza'swhere they are located. The Airport Center has a Big Daddy's liquorstore and The Strand shopping plaza has a Blackbeard's liquorstore. These merchants provide excellent service. The packagedliquor business is well represented in the Cayman Islands anddoes not need another, 'player', in the market.
The owners and management of Foster's hopethat this answers any questions or concerns that the public atlarge may have. If given the approval to have a package liquorlicense we will indeed honor the intention in which it is requestedand that is to sell cake wine and other wines used for cookingand medicinal purposes.
In an effort to avoid further confusionand misinterpretation, it may be a valid consideration for theLiquor Licensing Board to consider providing a separate licensesuitable for the needs of Supermarkets."
The Liquor Licensing Board recently approvedan increase of the number licenses that will be granted for athree-month period ending which ended 15 May. It is understoodthat among the number of new applications being made, permissionis being sought for a number of gas stations to be accorded thisauthorization as well as for various other categories for newlicenses.
Presently, there are only two gas stations,Delworth's Esso at the junction of Eastern Avenue and North ChurchStreet and Oasis Texco in Bodden Town. which sell liquor, particularlywines and beer.