A central-city bottle shop in Ōtepoti / Dunedin is in a battle with some unlikely opponents as it seeks to renew its liquor licence.
Two university student advocacy groups are calling for reduced access to alcohol - and they have attracted high-profile support.
But the groups face a greater battle just to be heard.
Just 200 metres from the Octagon, a central Ōtepoti / Dunedin liquor shop is applying to renew its licence.
However, it's facing stiff opposition from two student groups and its manager is trying to unpack why.
"I don't know why they are opposing it, so it's up to them. We are discussing it directly with the council," said store manager Hementh Padamati.
Dunedin City Council's alcohol licensing committee has blocked the student groups from having a say the hearing next month.
"We wanted to object on the hours that the applicant was open for, currently they were aiming to be open until 10pm," said Max Phillips, secretary of Student for Sensible Drug Policy Aotearoa.
"It's really targeting the students who are on their way to town, looking for something to boost their intoxication - which they really probably don't need," said Louisa Mason, spokesperson for Hold Onto Your Friends.
In a minute issued late last week, the City Council said both groups were "found to not have standing" and were "not considered to be a party in the application before the Committee."
Despite that, the students have the support of Sophia Crestani's family.
Sophia was the university student killed in 2019 at an out-of-control flat party.
"To say that they don't have a greater influence or say than the general public is just naive," said her mother, Eslpeth McMillan.
In recent years, popular bars have closed which has taken away options for controlled environments where students could drink.
"That's like the main reason why we are doing this work, is to have more student bars, but currently there's no way that a student bar can compete with places like Dunedin Fine Wines and Spirits selling really cheap alcohol," Mason told Newshub.
The licensing hearing is set down for October 12.
The bottle shops' manager warns jobs are at risk too.
"If it closes completely that means it's a big loss for us personally," Padamati told Newshub.
The Crestani family just wants the youth to have a say.
"Give SSDP and Hold On To Your Friends standing, as they always have been, and listen to them and it will result in a safer community in Dunedin," said Sophia's father Bede Crestani.
It's understood the Committee will reconsider whether the students can be heard.
