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Shop refused licence over underage drinking fears

Owen SennittNorwich City Hall
News imageDavid Freezer/BBC A row of shops on a city centre street corner. The middle shop is vacant, with a painted blue-grey frontage.David Freezer/BBC
The convenience store was planned for a former shoe shop, which closed last year

A shopkeeper has been refused an alcohol licence for a new corner shop after police raised concerns it could fuel underage drinking.

Norwich City Council's licensing committee blocked the application for the store on the corner of St Stephens Street, which is close to Hay Hill.

The area has become a hotspot for anti-social behaviour in recent months.

Councillors felt allowing the licence would be a risk as both Trading Standards and Norfolk Police had ongoing concerns about the shop's management. Previous issues with underage alcohol sales had been reported at another linked store.

News imageA view of Hay Hill, looking towards Haymarket, showing a paved, stepped area with chrome handrails and seating areas, and a pedestrianised street beyond with a turquoise, illuminated Primark sign across a shop front.
Police said large groups of young people had been gathering at Hay Hill and a licensing officer feared the shop could add to problems with underage drinking

David Cassidy, the applicant, and Imran Mohammed, the leaseholder who said he would oversee the business, have also run Ali's News in London Street.

Norfolk Police said there have been repeated problems at this store and Trading Standards told Mohammed it had "no evidence of a period of time where your previous business was trading compliantly".

The meeting heard that in March, a parent reported their 14-year-old daughter had to be taken to hospital after consuming too much alcohol that she said had been bought from the shop.

Customers also reported being sold counterfeit nicotine products.

News imageDavid Freezer/BBC A view of a city centre street. To the left is a small Sainsbury's.David Freezer/BBC
The proposed convenience store is at one end of St Stephens Street

A representative for Cassidy and Mohammed said the report of underage alcohol sales in March should be taken with a "pinch of salt" as it was an anonymous complaint.

He added that the applicant would take steps to ensure there were no future problems.

But Michelle Bartrum, licensing officer for Norfolk Police, told the committee she had no confidence that imposing strict conditions would prevent any further issues.

She added it would be a "perfect storm" for further problems at Hay Hill if the licence was given due to ongoing issues there with underage drinking.

Ultimately, the committee voted unanimously to refuse the licence.

The council's legal officer said it was blocked to protect children from harm and for the prevention of crime and disorder.

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