Newsagent to begin alcohol sales amid safety concerns

Dale Spridgeon, Local Democracy Reporter

A long-established newsagents has been granted permission to sell alcohol,  despite concerns over increased alcohol availability.

Robert’s Newsagents and convenience store on Porthmadog High Street – which is known locally as Pike’s – was granted permission to sell booze between 6am until 11pm, seven days a week, by Cyngor Gwynedd.

The applicant Robert Christy Mariyampilla had requested the licence to run between 6am and midnight but the council’s central licensing sub-committee agreed to 6am – 11pm, when it met on Monday, December 1.

Gwenan Roberts, head of the licensing team, described the business as “a long established traditional newsagents” selling items such as tobacco, greeting cards and sweets, which had never sold alcohol.

The application had sparked comments by the local Councillor Nia Jeffreys who was concerned over the hours alcohol sales would be available.

She had given representations in respect of licensing objectives, which included the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and public safety.

But the licensing manager told the meeting there had been no other comments or concerns from the public nor from the “responsible authorities”.

Cllr Jeffreys, who had sent apologies for not attending the meeting, had been concerned that alcohol was proposed for sale from 6am, until midnight, seven days a week, the meeting heard.

It had been felt this “may influence drinking levels, drinking patterns, and alcohol-related harm” and had recommended reducing the hours to buy alcohol to “reduce the chance of crime and disorder in the town and for the sake of public safety”.

She said: “Reducing the hours at which alcohol can be sold would also reduce the chance of public nuisance, would be a fair compromise.”

However, Mr Suresh, the agent for the applicant, told the meeting that although there had been an attempt to “negotiate and compromise,” including reducing the hours by one, no agreement had yet been reached.

Gwenan Roberts said in updated communication, the councillor had felt that a one hour proposed compromise “did not alleviate concerns” but that she “appreciated the efforts to try to compromise”.

To meet the licensing objectives, the applicants had proposed that the staff selling the alcohol would be license trained within six weeks of employment, and documented.

A recordable CCTV system would be used and maintained and will be kept for 31 days with recordings made available to any responsible authorities if required, Gwenan Roberts said.

Appropriate fire safety provisions would also be in place, with clearly marked escape routes, free from obstructions, the premises would implement a ‘Challenge 25’ age policy, insist on holographic mark IDs, passports or approved PASS cards, and till prompts would be used for the sale of age restricted products.

The management would also ensure that the customers move away from the premises and not loiter.

Mr Suresh said “we have put a number of steps to promote licensing objectives” and he noted that the objections were “only opinions not objections”.

It was “not felt that 6am-midnight was a concern” after the committee had discussed other businesses selling alcohol in the area including the nearby supermarket.

It was felt that it was “a great opportunity” for the business and that it could help “bring investment”, whilst it would continue to be a newsagent and convenience store, Mr Suresh added.