Oppositions raised over alcohol licence of Manchester Go Local C-store

Objections are being raised by local residents after a new Go Local convenience store in Manchester applied for an alcohol licence.

According to local reports, the former kebab shop that is being used as a convenience store for months has applied for a licence to sell alcohol until 4am, but this was later cut back to midnight.

Speaking at a town hall hearing on Monday (January 30), residents said their objections were not about the store itself but their concern is that the area would suffer if a new off licence opens, making alcohol even more readily available.

“I’m at the very end of my tether. Make no mistake, the Fallowfield Brow area is now nothing more than a party-club-fested, drunken, drugged up conurbation, it’s fit for no human life or existence and becoming one giant noise fest,” Nick Roberts, who lives in Landcross Road, told the licensing panel.

“People to and fro, taxis to and fro, shouting, screeching, hollering, yelling, music pumping out ad finitum, from early evening until 6am in the morning. This premises will just create added noise disturbance which will obviously be extended beyond what is already being suffered by the local residents.”

Another resident claimed that the situation is now ‘so awful’ that people feel frightened to be out at night.

“It’s so highly occupied by students in the number and the make up, that the businesses in Fallowfield are very geared to the students and alcohol is such a big part of that which causes public nuisance. The impact of that nuisance is really sorely felt by the people who live there – families, children, older people,” reports quoted the resident as saying, speaking on behalf of Fallowfield Community Guardians.

Manchester council’s licensing team also objected to the application, arguing that the area already suffers from anti-social behaviour, litter and crime. They argued that another store selling alcohol in this area would exacerbate issues.

Speaking on behalf of the University of Manchester, Brendon Jones told the panel that allowing another shop to sell alcohol in the area would undermine the work the university does to tackle bad behaviour among its student