SUPERMARKET chain Aldi has been denied a liquor licence for its new Belmont Forum store because of concerns its cheap booze prices will further fuel the already high rates of domestic violence and alcohol-related harm in the area.

Aldi planned to sell bottles of wine for as little as $2.79 and four-litre casks for $8.89 from the store which would service the suburbs of Cloverdale, Rivervale, Belmont and Kewdale.

Objections lodged by several interested parties, including WA’s Chief Health Officer and the City of Belmont, noted that domestic violence rates in suburbs such as Belmont and Rivervale were almost twice the State average.

Non-domestic assaults where alcohol had been a factor were also considerably higher than the State average.

The City of Belmont provided figures which showed its residents were more likely to die from cirrhosis of the liver, or require hospital treatment for alcohol-related injuries or illnesses.

In rejecting Aldi’s application, the Director of Liquor Licensing found that the area was already serviced by about 70 licensed venues.

“I find it highly likely, on the balance of probability, that over time the grant of the application will contribute to the high rate of alcohol related harm that presently exists in the locality,” the director said in a written decision last month.

“The locality is socio-economically disadvantaged with existing at-risk persons who are vulnerable to alcohol abuse.”

Aldi operates about 260 supermarkets with liquor stores across Australia. It said the company was still reviewing whether an appeal would be lodged against the director’s decision.