Owners have been granted a license to sell alcohol at a reopening Spalding store that’s been closed due to the selling of illegal cigarettes.
The store at 24 Commercial Road was most recently known as Spalding Express Convenience Store and Maramures Express.
PT A&A Ltd have applied for a Premises Licence for the property to be called Amma Cash and Carry.
The man listed on Companies House as behind that company is Parathithas Vijayaratnam who is also the owner of Fleet Road Garage in Fleet.
Police say there are no links between him and illegal activity on the site previously.
A panel of South Holland District Council’s Licensing Committee today (Friday, June 26) granted a licence to sell alcohol every day of the week from 6am until 11pm.
There were no objections to the application, but Lincolnshire Police had requested alcohol only be sold after 8am.
However the panel found in favour of the applicant after they pointed out examples of places that can sell alcohol from that time, including their own in Fleet.
Police had also requested waterproof labels be used, but the panel agreed with the applicant that would be too costly.
“The shop at 24 Commercial Road has a chequered history with licensing, illegal cigarettes, smuggled alcohol, illegal vapes and illegal working,” the police representation states. “It has not held a Premises Licence for nearly five years.
“It had one revoked in 2016 and early 2019 for selling illegal cigarettes and smuggled alcohol.”
Conditions had been agreed that the shop wouldn’t sell single cans of alcohol, on beer over 6.5 per cent ABV and that a minimum sale of four items will be required to be purchased unless the volume is more than 670ml per item.
The panel though argued: “Given the concerns regarding the potential for street drinking and balancing matters out, the panel felt it would be more helpful to educate customers than to restrict the sales of single cans or bottles given the type of product the premises intend to stock.”
Instead a sign not to drink outside would be put up.
All staff would have to have relevant ID on them in the shop too.
