Woolworths has abandoned its plan for a Dan Murphy’s in Darwin. But that may not be the end of the story

Liquor giant Dan Murphy’s likes to spruik the story of its namesake.

“One man built his reputation on a handshake,” the company says in promotional material.

But the brand’s parent company, Woolworths, has now decided that selling alcohol at the lowest price can sometimes come at too great a cost.

After a five-year saga involving court challenges and political twists, the company has abandoned its plan to set up its first Dan Murphy’s store in Darwin.

So, how did it come to this?

There are more than 220 Dan Murphy’s liquor outlets throughout Australia.

But only one has been the subject of such a fiery community debate.