Kensington corner shop caught selling kids booze for third time

A North Kensington corner shop has been caught selling booze to children on three occasions in three years.

The Maharajah Food & Wine shop in Golborne Road will now have its licence suspended for a month.

The most recent offence involved Kensington and Chelsea’s Trading Standards team sending two teenaged police cadets to act as secret shoppers.

They were sold a large bottle of Smirnoff Ice and a can of Tyskie lager.

A council report said: “The premises licence holder… Parmjeit Chopra… sold alcohol to two cadets aged 16 and 17 without making any checks to determine their age. At the time, and at interview, he stated that he believed them to be over 25.”

It adds: “This is the third time that we have visited the premises since Mr Chopra took over and on each occasion we have been sold alcohol. There has never been a refusal to any of our test purchasers.”

The three offences happened in May 2017, September 2018 and February this year, the report said.

After a council Licensing Committee on 5 November, it was decided that Chopra will also have to “attend and pass a duly accredited level two or three designated premises supervisor course” before he can reopen the shop.

All other staff will have to pass “personal licence” courses.

Chopra was approached for comment but he declined.