Store granted licence after agreeing to shortened hours for booze sale

An Erdington convenience store has been granted an alcohol licence after offering to shorten hours of alcohol sale.

As concerns raised on problem drinking in the morning, Anna Store in Reservoir Road has agreed to reduce hours of alcohol sale from 6am-11pm to 8am-10pm daily during a licensing meeting this week.

Members of the licensing sub-committee added a number of conditions, including around CCTV, that waste is collected between 7am and 9pm, and that all staff receive training.

The meeting had heard concerns from resident Malcolm Oliver who said his “concern is about the overall alcohol provision in the area which I think is out of control.”

The sub-committee also received four letters of objection from members of the public, alleging the premises licence would encourage crime and antisocial behaviour.

The decision notice from the sub-committee states: “Members carefully considered the representations made by a local resident who attended and addressed the sub-committee, but were not convinced that there was an evidential and causal link between the issues raised and the effect on the licensing objectives.

“It appeared that the fears of the local resident were based mainly on the prevalence of street drinkers in the Reservoir Road area. The local resident had observed these types standing in the street at all times of day, and as early as 7.30am; he was worried that this was a bad influence on local children going to nearby schools.

“The sub-committee deliberated the operating schedule put forward by the applicant and the likely impact of the application, including the agreed conditions, and concluded that by granting this application, the four licensing objectives in the [Licensing Act] will be properly promoted.

“The agent confirmed that the applicant had experience of selling alcohol by retail, and that her family ran similar convenience shop businesses in the Aston area.

“Her parents would be working in the shop with her, and the applicant would be the designated premises supervisor.

“The sub-committee was pleased to note that the applicant and both of her parents were personal licence holders; there would therefore be three personal licence holders associated with the management of the shop.”