A NEW convenience store and off-licence will open in an area of Swansea which many residents claim has problems with crime and anti-social behaviour.
Nearly 150 people opposed a premises licence application for the new store in Mount Pleasant but a council sub-committee was satisfied, after hearing from the applicant’s agent and other parties, that key licensing objectives would be promoted as required under the 2003 Licensing Act.
The shop and off-licence will replace a former hairdresser’s on the corner of Terrace Road and Harcourt Street, which is close to Terrace Road Primary School.
Objectors were worried that pupils walking to and from school may encounter people drinking alcohol on the street and cross Terrace Road to avoid them. According to their submissions the school’s lollipop lady wasn’t replaced after being knocked down by a vehicle a few years ago.
They also alleged that drug-taking and street drinking were prevalent in Mount Pleasant with one person claiming they picked up more than 20 small bottles of vodka in a day while litter-picking at a park off Primrose Hill a few streets away.
Mandeep Bhattal, speaking on behalf of objectors at the licensing sub-committee meeting, said people living closest to the proposed shop were concerned about potential anti-social behaviour and littering.
He also claimed the area didn’t have a dedicated police community support officer. He said: “We have asked and asked but South Wales Police seems to be a bit overstretched.” He added: “A lot of residents are fed-up.”
Surendra Panchal, an agent on behalf of applicant DSC Food and Wine Ltd, said licensing objectives would be “robustly defended” and that the long-empty premises would be refurbished and have new external lighting and CCTV coverage.
The meeting heard there were six written objections and a petition signed by around 140 people but no written representations from South Wales Police. Committee chairwoman Cllr Penny Matthews said she found this “a bit surprising” given the issues raised.
Mr Panchal said the family who would run the business had experience of managing shops and had never breached any licence conditions.
He said staff would operate a Challenge 25 policy and ask for “proper” identification and that drunk customers would not be served. He said refusals as well as incidents would be logged and that there would be signs asking customers to leave the premises quietly. He added: “We are happy to work along with our neighbours.”
Mr Panchal said the question of children walking to school was not a matter for the sub-committee and also asked if the petition of objection had been left in nearby shops for people to sign. Mr Bhattal said a copy had been left in a shop as well as being taken in person to people’s homes and that all the names on it were “actual residents”.
Cllr David Phillips, whose ward includes Mount Pleasant, said there were a number of premises selling alcohol in the area and that cumulative impact should be a valid consideration for the sub-committee.
“It’s almost certainly going to result in more people drinking on the street,” said Cllr Phillips. However he welcomed an offer by Mr Panchal to reduce the proposed licensing hours on Sundays from 8am to 11pm to 8am to 10.30pm. Alcohol would be sold from 8am to 11pm from Monday to Saturday.
Mr Panchal said the licence, if granted, would result in new investment, jobs, and that the new store would offer a delivery service to elderly residents.
After retiring to consider the evidence the sub-committee decided to award the premises licence, which has 20 conditions.
