The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A Spalding shop should not be able to sell super-strength beer or individual cans, according to police.
An application has been made by Saglar Ahmat to remove two conditions to the alcohol licence of A2Z Food Express, Westlode Street, Spalding.
But police are opposing the move and want the conditions to remain in place.
The current conditions mean beer above 6.5 per cent ABV – or super strength – cannot be sold.
Individual cans of beer, cider or lager cannot be sold either. All purchases must be four or more.
“The applicant needs to understand their place in the community, the impact they have on it and put licensing objectives before profit,” says a report to go before members of South Holland District Council’s licensing committee on Tuesday.
“The premises has a history with regards to licensing and there are currently two premises licences at the one premises, the new licence and one which is revoked but under appeal. The applicant is the premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor for both licences,” says the police objection.
The shop is also in a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to prevent street drinking and other public order offences.
“On the last compliance check at the premises, licence conditions had been breached and yet again he had failed to price mark single cans of foreign beer, which is an indicator of smuggled goods,” says the police objection.
“The applicant has offered no other conditions that would assist in limiting his premises’ effect within the PSPO.
Without these conditions the premises will be adding to the issues which created the need for the PSPO in the first place.”
Citing figures from Public Health England, the report adds that 53 per cent of all violent incidents have been linked to alcohol and at the weekend, 70 per cent of all violent incidents are alcohol-related.
The condition relating to the strength of beer “assists in lowering the level of intoxication within the area for the price paid,” says the report.
It also stops smuggled beer, described as ‘more popular and lucrative’ being sold at the shop.
The ban on single-can sales mean that if someone is caught street drinking, all the containers can be seized, not just an individual can. It makes the likelihood of buying another four less than buying another individual can.
