A SHOP has been given permission to sell alcohol from 6am every day despite one objector branding the move as “madness”.
A nearby resident said he feared the licence application by Sinenthiran and Thamilselvi Jeganathan, who run Nathans Food & Wine in Great Sutton, might encourage under-age drinking, litter and vandalism.
The traders successfully applied to the borough council to vary their premises licence.
Their business, in Whetstone Hey, operates as a small newsagents selling limited supermarket items from a single ground-floor room.
The council’s licensing sub-committee was told in a report: “The applicants applied to begin their morning start time for the sale of alcohol from 8am to 6am.
“And they applied to reduce their evening finishing time for the sale of alcohol from 11pm to 10.30pm on Mondays to Saturdays.
“The Sunday evening finishing time remains the same as the current licence.”
Sub-committee members granted the application, but imposed conditions relating to the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and protection of children from harm.
They heard objections from a “very angry and concerned” neighbour who fears noisy customers in the early hours, cars parking outside homes and drunken teens.
The resident, who has not been identified, said: “Regarding the sale of alcohol, this really is pouring petrol on a very well lit fire.
“The problems we’ve had to endure with under-age drinking over the years, we all know about. To grant an extension to sell even more (booze) is just madness.
“If the borough council is serious about tackling anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking, now is the time to take positive action. All these problems are costing the Council Tax-payers dearly.
“I’m fed up with anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking, with youths hanging around this store at night.
“I’ve had my windows broken four times at the last count.
“I am entitled to peace and quiet in my own home, and not listening to car doors banging until 10.30pm and cars revving their engines.”
In the application, Sinenthiran Jeganathan said they were proactive in seeking proof of age for customers, kept all intoxicants safely behind the counter, staff live above the shop, CCTV cameras are on site, and they discourage youths from gathering outside the shop.
Michael Jones, representing the store at the meeting, said the application was in accordance with government guidance regarding the sale of alcohol during opening hours, but it was not expected there would be a significant level of sales between the requested earlier hours.
