Gloucester shop could lose premises licence over illegal tobacco

A Gloucester shop could lose its premises licence next week after Trading Standards officers say it was found to be selling illegal tobacco.

Gloucester City Council’s licensing sub-committee will consider a licence review for WAG 3 Mini Market at 38 Bristol Road.

The shop currently has a licence which allows them to sell alcohol and open from 8am to 1am every day of the week.

But Trading Standards officers say test purchases at the shop and CCTV footage have revealed the sale of illegal tobacco products.

Trading Standards is also concerned that the shop failed to produce CCTV footage within a reasonable time which is a breach of a condition on the premises licence.

During one of their visits on April 20, a test purchaser asked for cheap Richmond and was reportedly told by the man behind the counter that he did not have any but might have some the following day.

The next day a Trading Standards inspection was carried out at the shop and said they found two packets of illegal cigarettes under the counter, a packet of Richmond and a packet of Marlboro Gold.

Both packets were illegal to sell and were seized.

The shop premises licence holder Asif Jabarkhil says these cigarettes were not for sale and he did not sell illegal cigarettes.

He denies he has sold illegal tobacco from the premises.

But Trading Standards officers have asked for the premises licence to be revoked or suspended by the licensing committee on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder.

Councillors will consider the licence review at a meeting on July 29.