High Wycombe’s new town centre Today’s Extra may have Subway

Plans for a new town centre convenience store in High Wycombe “wanting to sell alcohol 24-hours a day” have been revealed – and it may also have a Subway inside.

JL Licence & Retail has applied for a 24-hour premises licence on behalf of AK South Yorkshire Ltd for 4 Paul’s Row, High Wycombe, which is close to pubs including O’Neill’s and The Falcon, bars and the new Trilogy nightclub.

It is understood the new premises will be a Today’s Extra, having formerly been an RBS bank.

However, a site plan also shows a separate area inside the new premises titled “Subway”, and council documents also mention “the consumption of food items”.

Licensable activities sought are for the ‘supply of alcohol 24-hours a day’.

There is also mention of the ‘provision of late-night refreshment’, from 11pm-5am, daily.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) objected to the “new convenience store from [a] national chain wanting to sell alcohol 24-hours a day”.

“TVP are objecting to the application as it stands at this time under the Prevention of Crime and Disorder objective,” it said.

Speaking about the late-night refreshment, TVP said: “We have no objection to this as, in fact, the consumption of food items does increase the sugar levels that the alcohol drains and tends to bring people back on a more even keel attitude wise.”

Concerns for the “security of alcohol” and theft were also raised.

TVP requested the sale of alcohol instead be between 8am-1am, daily; that the premises be active members of Pubwatch; that all alcohol be locked or covered between 1am-8am; and that at least two door staff be employed on certain days and times.

“Both the police and the agent acting on behalf of the applicant have engaged in constructive mediation since the end of the consultation period,” a council document states.

“Whilst both parties have made some progress, they remain currently not in agreement of a proposed solution to which both can agree. It shall therefore be for the panel to determine.”

The matter will be discussed during a licensing sub-committee hearing on October 5.