Middlesbrough store bids to extend hours for alcohol sales

A convenience store wants to serve alcohol until midnight despite police concerns it will exacerbate anti-social behaviour.

Morrisons Daily on Corporation Road in Middlesbrough has applied to extend its hours so it can sell booze past 10pm. The premises tried to secure permission to serve alcohol until midnight in 2018, however, politicians decided 10pm was late enough.

Now, the convenience store, which is below a block of student flats, will face another hearing on January 10 to lobby for the change. Public health and Cleveland Police are both against the move.

In a statement submitted as part of the hearing, PC Jason Arbuckle said: “The area in which this premise is situated in, has numerous issues involving alcohol, ranging from crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour, public nuisance, underage drinking to alcohol dependant street drinkers.

“Cleveland Police are firmly of the belief that by granting this application, the existing problems and issues will be exacerbated by making alcohol more readily available and will add extra pressure and burden on the emergency and support services.”

The store was previously in the town’s cumulative impact zone – these areas are in place in parts of towns that are saturated by late-night food outlets and premises selling alcohol which are linked to an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour.

This meant in central ward in Middlesbrough, that applications by stores to sell alcohol are likely to be refused unless the owner can prove that there will be no negative impact. However, the policy lapsed in January 2022, though the council has taken steps to reinstate the zone.

Public health representative Fiona Helyer also raised her concerns about the licence change. She said: “There are a number of concerns regarding the current application made to Middlesbrough Council’s licensing authority.

“The area in which these premises are situated suffers from high levels of alcohol-related crime and disorder, anti-social behaviour and there are high numbers of wholly attributable alcohol-related hospital admissions to James Cook Hospital.”

Like PC Arbuckle, Ms Helyer also believes extending the hours the store can serve alcohol will exacerbate current issues.

As part of the application, store owner MPK Properties Limited said it would comply with the licensing requirements through its pre-existing conditions, this includes having CCTV and an incident book.

The shop must not stock any lager, beer, cider or perry product stronger than 6.5%, sell any single cans of lager, beer or cider or stock alcohol within five metres of the entrance/exit.