A LICENSING sub-committee has five days to decide whether to grant a late-night alcohol licence to an Abergele shopkeeper amid fears of a potential increase in anti-social behaviour.
At a meeting at Bodlondeb today (Monday), the committee debated the licence application submitted by Jwan Noori, who seeks permission to sell alcohol at his Castle Express shop at 65 Market Street.
The shop is yet to open but was described as a mini market and grocery store.
Mr Noori wants to sell alcohol at the shop between 8am and 12am and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
The former furniture store has no restrictions in place preventing the opening hours.
But David McQuillan wrote to object, stating he was “very concerned that it would lead to anti-social behaviour in an area where there are residents” and feared that the side streets could be used as drinking areas.
Speaking at the licensing hearing, Mr Noori’s agent Tony Clarke answered questions from councillors.
Cllr Sharon Dolman asked if residents lived nearby.
Mr Clarke said: “It’s a mixed retail area, but obviously there are some residences around the property, but none of those residents, none of those people that live in this area, have actually made an objection themselves.
“From what my client has told me, they (the residents) are all in support of this new shop being in existence.
“He said local residents are all looking forward to the shop opening.”
Cllr Doleman then asked if the applicant had carried out research to see if the residents wanted the shop to be open late.
“Obviously I could draw your attention to something you are probably very much aware of already,” he said.
“The policy guidance says that shops, if they can be open according to planning regulations, that they should be granted the (alcohol) licence for the same times as the shop’s opening hours.
“The opening hours have been requested by my client because that’s what he feels is appropriate for the area, given that the only other shops nearby have similar opening times.
“But certainly, nobody has objected to those times.”
He added: “The only thing that I’ve seen from my experiences is if shops ask for a licence until 12am or 1am but they don’t need those times later on, because the market forces don’t determine that, then generally the shops just end up closing earlier at night time, because there’s no point.
“It costs too much money to open them.”
