Despite concerns from police, the site of the 2014 Lindt cafe terror siege in Sydney will be turned into a wine shop.
The Daily Telegraph reported that liquor giant Dan Murphy’s has been given permission to transform the site of the terror siege.
Despite police concerns about the location being a sensitive area, the outlet reported that the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) approved the proposal.
The Lindt cafe siege was one of the most high-profile terrorist incidents in Australia in recent years.
In December 2014, a lone gunman, Man Haron Monis, took 18 people hostage in the cafe for 16 hours.
Two people – cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson were killed during the siege.
The paper reported that the City of Sydney agreed to the development earlier this year and approved the site as a premium wine store (bottle shop), which resulted in the green light.
The ILGA last week acknowledged a submission from NSW Police that objected to a liquor store at the spot due to it being a sensitive area, a place of reflection, and it was inappropriate for a liquor licence to be issued at the location.
ILGA accepted the plan despite objections, stating that NSW Police had “conceded” that the City of Sydney had approved the location to trade as a bottle shop.
The Daily Telegraph states that Endeavour Group, the owner of Dan Murphy’s, has taken steps to respect the victims and survivors of the horrific attack that took place there.
The retail group has allegedly contacted the family members of Dawson and Johnson to consult with them on what could be incorporated into the design and operations of the store.
Some people who don’t want the proposed store argue that the location is inappropriate because it’s a historical and memorial area for Sydney. They also think that the store would encourage people to drink alcohol, which would be inappropriate for the site.
