Retailer’s second store on same street denied booze licence

A planned new store has been denied a licence to sell alcohol in Hartlepool following concerns of crime and antisocial behaviour in the area.

Police and local residents both voiced worries to a council licensing sub-committee hearing on Wednesday (January 26) over an application for a new premises licence allowing Belle Vue News, at 16 Sydenham Road, to sell alcohol.

Submitted by Savior Paramesvaran, it would have allowed the store to sell alcohol to be consumed off-site from 6am until 11pm seven days a week.

However council chiefs have now confirmed, following deliberation, a decision has been made by councillors to refuse the application for a premises licence in its entirety.

They added the applicant has the right to appeal to the magistrates court if he wishes.

Janarthani Paramesvaran, who spoke on behalf of her husband at the meeting, said the move would have allowed them to offer more competition in the area and sell a wider range of products.

Paramesvaran already runs Belle Vue Wines convenience store at 2 Sydenham Road with her husband, which failed in a licensing bid to secure later hours to sell alcohol last week.

However police had raised concerns the area already sees a “large amount of crime”, and allowing another premises to sell alcohol in an area which already has two convenience stores doing so, would “only exacerbate issues”.

Paul Clark, solicitor representing Cleveland Police, said: “Local residents feel uncomfortable and intimated, and this is local residents who have lived in the area for decades.

“Having more licensed premises wouldn’t decrease that, it would only increase that.”

He added there is nothing to stop them having 16 Sydenham Road as a non-licensed shop to sell all products other than alcohol, and having Belle Vue Wines, at number 2, as an off-licence.

PC Clare Lawton, from Cleveland Police, raised concerns of the applicant displaying a “limited knowledge” of the licensing act and associated conditions, along with rates of crime in the area.

Mrs Paramesvaran had argued they had already been running a business for the last six years without any concerns or complaints.

She said: “Currently we are inhibited, we are going to do lots of new things like household items, confectionery, soft drinks, we can bring something new.”