Winery ‘shafted’ by mall booze ban (NZ)

A little-known winery has lost its battle to sell port and fruit wines in a Porirua shopping mall. Porirua City Council refused to grant Ruahine Wines a special licence to sell unopened bottles of wine and gift packs from a stall in the North City Shopping Centre in the lead up to Christmas. It made the decision behind closed doors after winery director Damon Pratt pleaded for the initial refusal by the Porirua District Licensing Agency to be overturned in order for his business to stay afloat, reports The Dominion Post.