Fourth shop in Reading faces review of alcohol licence

A fourth shop on one Reading road faces a review of its booze licence as the police continues its crackdown on businesses not complying with licensing rules.

I&R Convenience, a Today’s Local store, has been added to the list of Oxford Road businesses facing hearings in the coming months.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) says the premises licence holder has failed to promote the licensing objectives due to “insufficient measures”.

It says poor processes, lack of general due diligence and quality of practice at 202 Oxford Road shop, including poor training processes, “encompass the failure”.

Another three off licences on Oxford Road – Today’s Express, K B Superstores and Anrish News – are already facing licence reviews.

Police requests booze licence review of three Reading shops

Like I&R, the police said all three shops have failed to promote the licensing objectives through insufficient measures to ensure due diligence and compliance with its licensing conditions.

The council’s Licensing Applications sub-committee could hold hearings later this year to decide what action to take if there is no agreement beforehand.

According to a local community leader, the crackdown is due to historic anti-social behaviour problems such as “urination and aggressive begging”.

Peter Bowyer, chair of the Oxford Road Safer Neighbourhood Forum, said: “Oxford Road and the surrounding streets have a history of problems with anti-social behaviour, much of which is attributable to the street population and coincides with alcohol and drug misuse.

“Problems such as rowdy and intimidating behaviour at all hours, aggressive begging and street urination are daily occurrences.

“The same individuals are regular customers of the drug dealers who operate overtly in our neighbourhood.”

TVP believe sales of super-strength cheap beers and ciders on Oxford Road is “fuelling incidents of alcohol related crime and disorder in the area”, and says it is “of extreme concern and a priority for the Oxford Road residents and community to resolve this issue”.

And in its submission regarding Today’s Express, on 107 Oxford Road, TVP said it “strongly suspects” most individuals being sold super strength alcohol are already intoxicated.