POLICE are calling for a Frodsham shop to close for good after its former manager was struck off for storing cannabis and cocaine in an upstairs flat.
Family owned Premier Stores, on Main Street, Frodsham, had its licence removed by Cheshire West and Chester Council in October last year after the store manager at the time, Ummar Nazib, was convicted of possessing class A and B drugs with intent to supply.
Now, after the family appealed the authority’s decision, concerned police officers have objected to the shop remaining open and called for it to be closed for good after years of showing a ‘disturbing reluctance to co-operate with investigations and local police’.
In a report put forward to CWaC licensing committee last week Cheshire police objected to the store regaining its licence fearing that under the new management staff would continue to refuse to co-operate with officers and that ‘nothing would change’.
Former store manager and licence holder Ummar Nazib was removed from Premier Stores following a raid on his flat above the shop where police discovered 21 bags of cocaine.
Police licensing officer Ian Seville said in his report the new designated premises supervisor was Nazib’s brother, Ammar Nazib, and that this was ‘simply an artifice to continue under the current regime’ and that in real terms ‘nothing would change’.
The Chronicle tried to contact the owners of Premier Stores on numerous occasions but got no response.
The application will go before Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Licensing subcommittee on Tuesday.
