Police received reports of fights, spitting and thrown bottles at a shop on Oxford Road, Reading which is one of five facing licence reviews in the coming months.
Anrish News is opposite the junction of Zinzan Street and Oxford Road on the corner of Eaton place.
Thames Valley Police (TVP) say this area is of “specific high concern in relation to alcohol related anti-social behaviour”, which is linked to street drinking and begging.
Anrish News has an off-licence allowing it to sell alcohol between 6am and 11pm.
The police have documented eight reports it received in the last three years of fights, thefts, assaults and drunken behaviour, which led to the review.
These are the eight events:
August 4, 2017 – Fight inside the premises just after 9pm. Record details that one person suffered facial injuries and some damage was also caused to the premises. The offender was recognised as a regular customer. CCTV not working.
September 30, 2017 – Male in the premises being abusive to customers and had punched two females. Officers on arrival noted no victims were inside the shop and the drunk male had left the premises.
January 29, 2018 – Two males stole beers from within the premises. Caller stated that they go there all the time causing issues. Police suggests this is likely due to the availability of high strength alcohol that attracts the street drinking in the area.
November 21, 2018 – Shop owner assaulted by a group of male and female youths, including having a bottle thrown at him and being spat at. CCTV recording and shows the incident.
December 16, 2018 – Fight both inside and outside of the premises at around 9.30pm. The victim is recorded to have sustained a minor head wound. CCTV was not recording.
April 22, 2019 – Theft of alcohol, from the shop by an intoxicated and underage individual. Fizzy non -alcoholic drinks also taken at the time.
April 30, 2019 – Two males fighting outside of the premises just after 10pm, intoxicated and smashing bottles. One was bleeding.
July 25, 2020 – Drunk male in the shop and refusing to leave at just before 11.30pm, requiring police assistance.
After the last of these incidents, Thames Valley Police conducted a licensing inspection on August 25, 2020 and identified concerns including:
- Staff and designated premises supervisor did not sufficiently recall or know all of the four licensing objectives
- Training of staff insufficient
- CCTV system only maintains recorded images for 17 days (general good practice is for a minimum of 28 days and usually 31)
- Concerns surrounding the sale of high/super strength beer and cider and the negative impact on the community and impact on staff safety discussed
- During the inspection, a known street drinker/ beggar entered the premises and her body language “showed an expectation to purchase high strength alcohol”, according to TVP.
The police have since sent training documents and proposed extra conditions to the store but say they have received no response from its owners.
TVP want the council to add further conditions to the licence, including:
- No sales of beer and cider above six per cent
- Extra mandatory training
- CCTV kept for 31 days
But they are not asking for the council to revoke the licence as they say they want to give the licence holder and supervisor “an opportunity to show competence”.
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