The proprietor of the a convenience store in New Broughton was recently prosecuted after licensing officers found the shop to be selling alcohol without the required alcohol licence.
The court issued fines and costs of £1231 with a victim surcharge of £184.
The court heard that the holder of the licence had held a licence previously but this had lapsed due to the annual fee not being paid.
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The council had sent several reminders to the licensee but the fee remained unpaid and the licence was therefore suspended in accordance with legislation.
Licensing Officers visited the store at a later date and saw that a large stock of various brands of alcoholic drinks were on display for sale. There was a wide selection of wines and beers on shelves, in chillers, or stacked in the aisles, along with a wide selection of spirits on shelves behind the check-out.
A test purchase was carried out and a member of staff sold a bottle of wine to the officers. The proprietor was contacted after the sale and it was established that several items of unopened mail were at the premises, including the notice of suspension.
Joss Thomas, Specialist Officer, Licensing, said, “There’s no excuse for selling alcohol without the proper licence. This fine sends a clear message to everyone who does so that it’s an offence, punishable by law, not to renew their licence in the proper time period. We continue to keep a watchful eye on licensing to ensure alcohol is sold only by those who behave in a professional manner and we will not hesitate to take action against those that don’t.”
“Failing to obtain the necessary licence to sell alcohol fundamentally undermines the controls that exist to tackle the harm that can be caused by alcohol consumption.
“Excessive consumption is a major cause of serious health problems and anti-social behaviour issues in our community. The licensing regime exists to ensure that alcohol is sold only by people who have been deemed safe and suitable and in circumstances that ensure the health and wellbeing of the community is safeguarded. Our commitment is to ensure alcohol is sold only by those who take their responsibilities seriously.”
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