Camperdown Cellars Parramatta Rd, has been awarded Top NSW Liquor Store of the Year at the annual Retail Liquor Industry Awards for Excellence.

BYO Cellars, Nelson Bay took out Runner Up – Top Regional NSW Liquor Store, the Runner Up – Top Metro NSW Liquor Store award was shared between Chambers Cellars, Spit Junction and Dan Murphy’s, Wolli Creek.

Dan Murphy’s, Double Bay was awarded New Liquor Store of the Year.

Lucas Allen of Liquorland, Fairy Meadow was awarded the Liquor Store Manager of the Year, and Liquor Store Owner of the Year was given to Richard Kelsey and Geoff Huens of Porter’s Liquor, Artarmon.

Michael Waters, executive director, LSA NSW provided an overview of the awards process, including the mystery shop component for all nominated stores, which assessed the overall customer shopping experience.

“To support our strategy to increase focus on this area, the mystery shop also assesses regulatory compliance and adherence to our industry ID-25 policy and purposefully, the shoppers are all young adults, who look young.

“Our compliance performance this year was not to the very high standard we as an industry would want and expect to achieve, and the data tells us that we all have work to do in this area.

“Amendments to the Act have now been passed in Parliament to make way for an escalating penalty regime for the offence of selling liquor to a minor on licensed premises, and significant penalties, including the suspension and cancellation of a liquor licence where liquor is sold to a minor on licensed premises will soon be applicable – some very serious implications for licensees under this new regime.”