New c-store secures alcohol licence despite concerns

A new town centre convenience store has been granted a licence to sell alcohol despite claims that it could encourage anti-social behaviour.

Local Store, which is set to open in Trinity Street, St Austell, had applied to Cornwall Council for a licence to sell alcohol.

However the application attracted objections from local Cornwall councillor Anne Double and some local residents.

Devon and Cornwall Police and St Austell Town Council had also raised concerns but suggested conditions which would help. These included restricting the sale of alcohol at the shop to 10pm each day.

The shop’s owners agreed to this condition as well as to not sell any beer, lager or cider above 6% ABV; not to sell single cans or bottles of beer, lager or cider; and to keep spirits behind the counter and not on the shop floor.

Jez Bayes from Safer Cornwall said that as the applicants had agreed to the conditions then it indicated that they were responsible operators and suggested that if successful it could be used as a model for how premises like this should be run in future.

However, Cllr Double, wife of MP Steve Double, was still unhappy and asked the licensing committee to refuse the application.

She said: “It isn’t about competition, it is clearly about the effect that this would have on the residents living a very short distance from it.

“St Austell town centre has been highlighted as having issues, we are blighted by anti-social behaviour linked to street drinking.

“There are two bus shelters next to each other (next to the shop), they attract anti-social behaviour. There is concern about the residents in sheltered accommodation and that is in close proximity to the premises.”

The Conservative councillor added: “Another opportunity to buy alcohol in this location will exacerbate the situation that our residents find themselves in.”

Tom French from St Austell Town Council said that the council welcomed a new local food shop in the town centre that would “increase the retail offer”.

But he added: “The town council is concerned about the provision of another outlet selling alcohol in an area already blighted by anti-social behaviour linked to street drinking.”

Cllr French said that there was “a strong public perception that the town centre is unsafe” which he claimed was linked to people with complex needs being housed in the town by Cornwall Council and other agencies.

He said that the bus shelter next to the shop “will be a meeting place for after hours drinking and daytime drinking”.

But the councillor said the town council supported conditions which would limit sales of alcohol and also suggested that on Sundays the shop should only sell alcohol until 4pm, in line with other local shops.

While this had not originally been in the town council’s submission, the applicants did agree that it could be added.

The licensing committee considered all the submissions but said that it would grant the licence subject to conditions.

These are that sale of alcohol would be restricted to 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and from 8am to 4pm on Sundays; no beer, lager or cider above 6% ABV will be sold; no single cans or bottles of beer, lager or cider will be sold; and spirits will be kept behind the counter and not on the shop floor.