There is a 24/7 alcohol ban in Ōtara's town centre but locals say that does not stop people. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Robinson
A south Auckland community group is sick of drinkers in the town centre and says people are avoiding the area because of the antisocial behaviour.
A 24/7 alcohol ban has been in place at the Ōtara town centre since 2015 but Ōtara Gambling and Alcohol Action Group (OGAG) trustee Victoria Hearn said the drinking had not stopped - including near a playground.
"We've had people report that they don't shop in this area because of the people that are drinking out here, they feel intimidated.
"Some people even, you know, cut across through the car park because they don't want to walk back and forwards in front of them.
"We have a lot of people in community hui saying, 'We don't want this to happen, we're sick of it'," she said.
Hearn said the behaviour normalised drinking in public for others in the community and children.
"There's sometimes people drinking here at 9am in the morning."
Hine Taylor. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Robinson
Hine Taylor, 19, said young girls especially felt uncomfortable walking past the area.
"A lot of girls from our youth get catcalled ... or there's cans being thrown everywhere and it's just uncomfortable and unsettling for many, a lot of them don't like to speak up about it.
"It's happened to me as well, for me I just look back and say 'No', and you just keep walking."
Hearn said OGAG, along with youth from the Ōtara Youth Hub, have started running family events in the space with addiction support groups in attendance.
South Auckland community wants to reclaim centre from drinkers
"We wanted to come with a different purpose for the event ... trying to claim this space back as in this should be a family area, this is a town centre, this is where people come to shop."
She said the event was successful, but it had to be ongoing.
"I think it was probably the most impact that we've had in terms of people who were drinking feeling a little more uncomfortable because ... there's little children running around playing and having their face painted."
Hearn had seen people buy alcohol from the discount liquor store around the corner in Bairds Road and then drink it in the town centre.
Victoria Hearn. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Robinson
Ōtara town centre manager Rana Judge agreed the drinking needed to stop in public spaces but said the liquor store assured him they were selling alcohol responsibly.
"They claim they don't deal with the people if they know they have addiction to alcohol or they are drunk."
He believed giving out fines and removing drunk people from the area was the answer.
Hearn disagreed.
"It's an alcohol addiction issue. We want to actually see people get support and help to change what is happening, we don't want to just push it somewhere else."
In the last year, a police community engagement team had been a lot more active with patrols and trying to enforce the bylaw, she said.
The community was working with police to look at other options other than removing people from the town centre, she said.
Hearn said it would take the whole of the Ōtara community to change the current behaviour and encouraged people to get involved.
The alcohol licence for the Bairds Road Discount Liquor store was up for renewal and Hearn said there had been more than 120 objections submitted against it already.
The owner of the store has not yet responded to RNZ's request for comment.