A Lancaster shop has obtained a licence to sell alcohol, despite concerns over illegal vape products being sold, and an illegal worker found to be working there.
Lancaster Mini Market, at 71 Bowerham Road, has been granted a premises licence from Lancaster City Council to applicant Hawbash Shorsh Hamza, to sell alcohol from 7am to midnight, seven days a week.
This was despite objections from Lancashire trading standards officers.
A licensing consultant helped Mr Hamza with his application, that said: “This is an established small grocery store in a row of retail premises in a residential area on a main road.
‘’The current owner has been trading there for six months without incident. Our client will have all the necessary tools in place that will allow him to reinforce and underpin all four licensing objectives.”
‘’Shop CCTV, customer signs, the Challenge 25 system, a log book for incidents, staff training and a customer refusals policy are among measures that will be used, the application form states. Customer and anyone loitering outside will be asked to leave quietly.’’
Trading standards officer Jason Middleton, of Lancashire County Council, sent a report to the city council following a shop inspection in July.
Mr Middleton’s report said: “On July 24, trading standards attended Lancaster Mini Market with police, immigration enforcement and an officer from Lancaster City Council’s licensing department.
“Trading Standards discovered 129 non-compliant vapes under the counter and 67 non-compliant vapes in a box in the storeroom. Thirty-one packs of illegal tobacco and cigarettes were also found under the counter. These items were seized.”
“It’s our understanding that the male working in the shop was found to be working illegally. He was dealt with by the attending immigration officers.
“The premises licence was also found to be in the name of the previous limited company operating at the address, dissolved in January 2024. The licensing officer from Lancaster City Council advised the owner over the phone that the premises did not have a valid premises licence and could not currently sell alcohol.
“Due to the reasons stated, it is the opinion of trading standards that the prevention of crime and disorder objective would be undermined if the licence was granted.”
The Licencing Sub-Committee considered the details within the report, the representations from the parties present and the Councils own Statement of Licensing Policy, together with the Home Office guidance, and granted a licence for a 12 month period.
A spokesperson for Lancaster City Council said: ‘’The Sub-Committee would like to emphasis to Mr Hamza that should there be any further instances concerning the sale of items from the premises in breach of trading standards, issues concerning illegal workers being employed at the premises, or any other issues which offend any of the licensing objectives than he should expect the matter to come back before the Sub-Committee for a review of the licence, whereupon serious consideration would be given to revoke his licence.
‘’Mr Hamza is also reminded that as the licence is only for a 12 month period he will have to reapply for a premises licence before the expiration of his licence should he wish to continue selling alcohol from the premises.’’
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