Yahoo News 'Trouble' feared as new shop bids to sell alcohol until 2am
There are fears ‘more and more trouble’ will come to a residential area in Bootle after a proposed new Co-Op Express had plans approved for late 2am license to sell alcohol on the premises during weekends. A petition signed by 32 local residents said the late sale of alcohol would result in anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.
The petition was heard at a Licensing Sub-Committee meting at Southport Town Hall this morning where an applicant presented their case to open a new Co-Op Express with a late sale alcohol licence. The new shop is planned on the former site of The Queens pub which was closed down permanently last year and the new owners have applied to sell alcohol until 2am on Fridays and Saturday.
However, the licensing application was contested by some local residents who raised concerns about the impact of a late license on the community. A letter submitted to the committee stated: "[We're] very disappointed to know that another off license will be open on the road where there five other off-license shops within 300 yards. This area does not require any more off-license shops.
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The letter added: "Opening from 6am until midnight and then 2am on weekends will cause more and more trouble in the area. Where people after the night out will come to our streets to buy more liquor at 2am and make noises and smash our windows and damage the cars parked on the streets.
"Who is going to be responsible of any damage caused by this action? This is a residential area and not a town centre where the business requires to open late."
However, there was not one of the 32 signatories in attendance to to make further representations to the committee, but those holding the meeting did hear from Tony Clarke, a licensing consultant working on behalf of the applicant, Saamia Akram. According to Mr Clarke, the new shop will be a franchise of the Costcutter supermarkets group and Co Op Group and the sale of alcohol will be controlled by the Co Op group and adhere to its policies.
Mr Clarke said: "There is no evidence to suggest that the area is problematic, or that the Queen's pub experienced many troubles during its 19 years of opening until 2am or 4am.
"Looking at the current statistics that come from the police themselves, it appears to be a quiet and problem free area. So the petitioners concerns are not based upon real facts, but are based upon fear or what potentially could happen."
Mr Clarke added: "We'd like to point out that there is an absence of police representation here today. The police are the experts in primary disorder and if they had concerns regarding the hours, they would have submitted a representation.
"There are nine responsible authorities were experts in their own field of skill, knowledge and competence, and not one of those others have submitted representation. So fundamentally, it's also meant that all responsible authorities have no concerns."
However, Linacre ward councillor, Jim Conalty was observing the committee meeting and supporting the objections submitted by his constituents. He said: "It's a highly dense residential area, so that the main objections are basically about the fact there's already five licensed premises operating from eight to midnight."
Cllr Conalty added: "There's concern that it might actually bring people to the area just in search of alcohol because it's not available to 2 o'clock in other places."
The committee were satisfied by Mr Clarke's presentation and, in the absence of any formal objections in the council chamber, approved Ms Akram's licensing application.
