Two new c-stores to open on same road in Tuebrook, with one becoming first in area to sell booze until midnight

A shop on a busy north Liverpool will be the first in its area to be able to sell booze until midnight.

A new convenience store at 499 West Derby Road in Tuebrook was granted permission to sell alcohol at the later time by members of the council’s licensing and gambling sub-committee at a meeting on 20 October.

That came despite concern from two ward councillors over issues with street drinking, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime in the surrounding area.

Hours later, proposals for a larger convenience store in the former Park pub, at 495 West Derby Road, were granted by the council as well.

That will allow the new shop to sell alcohol until 11pm, matching a number of other shops in the area.

Speaking at this morning’s meeting, councillors Steve Radford and Billy Lake said Aram Mahmoudzadeh‘s application to sell alcohol until midnight could exacerbate historical issues in the area.

Referencing the 11pm end time for alcohol sales for other shops nearby and a number of alcohol-related problems, both councillors said they opposed allowing booze sales later on.

Councillor Radford said there had been a range of alcohol-fuelled crimes committed in the area in recent years and warned that, while a street drinking ban had helped, he still had significant concerns for people’s safety due to drinking levels.

Councillor Radford said: “We have had people walking straight out into the road drunk.

“I myself have had to stop suddenly numerous times when driving down the road when people have walked out. There are real safety concerns associated with people street drinking around the main road.”

He said he had no issues with Mahmoudzadeh but said extending booze sales beyond midnight was a red line.

Councillor Radford said: “We are not trying to disadvantage this applicant or any other applicant. What we want is a level playing field for anyone.”

Councillor Lake said Tuebrook would struggle if issues with anti-social behaviour worsened, saying parts of the area had a “fragile community”.

He said: “There are people in the community who have quite unstable backgrounds. We also have quite a number of people who are in recovery from addictions and other issues.

“I’m really concerned that if this premises is granted permission to sell alcohol until midnight then we will have others wanting to do the same and that could create a very bad situation.”

Mahmoudzadeh’s representative at the meeting said that Mahmoudzadeh, who is moving his premises from a shop further up the road, was a responsible licence holder and would operate the shop within strict rules agreed with Merseyside Police.

The sub-committee sided with Mahmoudzadeh, granting the application.

Later in the afternoon, they also granted an application from Sima Hassanajad to open a shop selling alcohol in the former Park pub.

That application proved far less contentious, with Hassanajad only wanting to open until 11pm.