Fleet shop can’t currently sell alcohol after illegal workers found

A shop in Fleet has been told it can’t currently sell alcohol after police found illegal workers there.

Mace Convivence Store at Fleet Road Garage had applied to change its designated premises supervisor to Arunmolithevan Balamuhunthan, a move Lincolnshire Police objected to.

Following a hearing held behind closed doors today (Monday, December 12) South Holland District Council’s Licencing Panel rejected the application.

The published decision notice states that it follows the police finding two illegal workers were present on an October 5 visit to the businesses owned by Mr Balamuhunthan and his business partner Parathithas Vijayaratnam.

The panel decision continues: “The applicant suggests that manual checks were done upon the workers however on the day of the visit, Mr Vijayaratnam tried to suggest to the police they were not working and the applicant at the hearing conceded they were paid in cash despite working 20 to 40 hours per week.

“The panel took account of the applicant’s unblemished record at his other premises although the applicant accepted he was equally responsible for the business on October 5.

“The panel felt that at a premises where significant problems had been uncovered it was not appropriate to have a designated premises supervisor splitting their time between two premises leaving the person who had largely been responsible for the previous failings in charge when he was not there.

“As such, having regard to the police notice, the panel rejects the application considering it appropriate for the promotion of the crime prevention objective to do so.

“Regarding the transfer application, it was surprising to note that there had been no previous transfer into the name of this applicant or his business partner despite a suggestion that they had together been running these premises for a number of years.”

The panel gave ‘the benefit of doubt’ to the applicant on a police claim that wine ‘may have been smuggled due to the price it was being sold for’.

“There is also a suggestion of breaches of the relevant legislation regarding vapes that were displayed for sale in the premises,” the decision notice states.

The rejection means Mace’s alcohol licence has lapsed, but the operators can apply for a new one.