New owner for Plymouth shop barred from selling alcohol

A Plymouth store which was banned from selling alcohol is under new ownership.

Councillors decided to revoke the premises licence for the International Supermarket, known by its sign as European Supermarket, at 44 Union Street.

The decision was made by the city council’s licensing sub-committee in private on January 7 after a review requested by the police.

The licence holder and premises supervisor Alan Ali Houssein gave evidence to the hearing, which related to the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public safety and the protection of children from harm.

A new company called Beroshki Ltd was set up on January 20, with the shop as its registered address.

Director Farad Hussain Mohamad told a reporter he was the new owner and that Alan Ali Houssein was no longer involved with the business.

Mr Mohamad, 39, said he had lived in Plymouth for 20 years, had previously worked in a factory and this was his first business venture.

He said he had completed a personal licence course and was considering applying for a new premises licence to sell alcohol.

The shop sells food and drink from countries across the European continent.

The store was visited by trading standards officers on October 9 last year in a joint operation with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, supported by police, into the illegal tobacco trade.

Staff at the shop were said to have co-operated with the investigating officers.

Other addresses in Plymouth were visited as part of the same operation and a large amount of tobacco was recovered.

The premises licence review was held in private at a meeting of the city council’s licensing sub-committee on Tuesday, January 7.

The decision to revoke the licence was published on the city council’s website in a record of the meeting.

Councillors decided to hear submissions in private after being given legal advice that the press and public should be excluded because of evidence relating to possible criminal proceedings.

The published minutes of the meeting reveal the sub-committee heard evidence from the council’s director of public health, the police, trading standards, licensing authority, and the licence holder and designated premises supervisor Alan Ali Hussein and his legal adviser.

The record states: “The Committee agreed that, having considered all of the above and the relevant statutory guidance, the premises licence would be revoked.”

The licence issued by the city council allowed the shop to sell alcohol from 10am to 11pm with a series of conditions for consumption off the premises.

Enforcement of licensing rules has been used as part of an operation led by the police in an effort to control street drinking and anti-social behaviour in the Union Street area of the city.

The law allows 21 days from receiving notice of a review decision for an appeal to the magistrates court.