News

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council has adopted a Local Alcohol Policy

May 7, 2026

The Mayor and councillors have approved the draft Local Alcohol Policy (LAP), which will take effect in Central Hawke’s Bay. It includes two changes to the current LAP:

  • All off-licence retailers must stop selling alcohol at 9pm daily, effective from May 2026. This includes bottle stores and supermarkets. Hours of trade are now 7am-9pm.
  • A cap of three off-license premises in Waipawa.

The adopted policy is provisionally in force from 11 May 2026 and will formally come into force on 10 June 2026, unless an appeal is lodged with the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority.

The final version of the LAP will be available online once it is formally publicly notified.

Council decision documents

The meeting minutes will be available over the coming days and you can watch a recording of the LAP hearing and deliberations on YouTube.