Wisbech shop told it can sell alcohol, despite anti-social behaviour concerns

A shop in Wisbech has been told it can sell alcohol, despite concerns this could “exacerbate” existing anti-social behaviour problems.

The owners of SlavShop, in West Street, asked Fenland District Council for a licence to sell booze between 8am and 9pm, Monday to Saturday, and between 9am and 7pm on Sunday.

Lukasz Czarnik told councillors at a hearing today that the shop is a “high quality grocery store”.

He said the shop opened around three months ago and serves the “Eastern European community and the wider population of Wisbech”.

Mr Czarnik said they had applied for a licence to sell alcohol due to many of their customers asking if they could sell beer.

He said they want to “satisfy” their customers’ wishes, adding that their store would be “like a proper corner shop for local residents where they can buy everything they want”.

Mr Czarnik set out some of the measures he said they would follow at the shop if they were allowed to sell alcohol.

He said “clear signs” would be put up encouraging people to behave respectfully when leaving the store, and said they will clean up litter near the shop every day when closing.

He also explained that alcohol would be kept behind the counter, so that only the person behind the till would be able to access it.

Mr Czarnik added that three CCTV cameras will be installed outside the shop, which he said will run 24/7.

He also said a Challenge 25 policy will be “strongly enforced”, with training provided to staff and log books kept of any refusals of sale.

Mr Czarnik added that there is “no evidence” of alcohol sales from a “small convenience shop, operating standard daytime hours would reasonably cause a noise nuisance”.

He also highlighted that the police had not raised any objection to the licence application, after extra conditions were agreed.

However, some concerns were raised by people in the area about the shop being granted the new licence.

The owner of a nearby shop in Church Terrace, said they were concerned that allowing another shop to sell alcohol would “exacerbate” existing issues.

Councillors heard how this other shop has had issues with people “causing trouble” when they are told they can’t buy alcohol.

The shop owner also said there are issues with “drunk people” in the area.

Concerns were also raised by another member of the public who said they were worried about an increase in noise and anti-social behaviour in the area.

They also highlighted that West Street is “very narrow” and said they struggle to pass by on the road when deliveries are being made to SlavShop.

Mr Czarnik said he was sorry to hear about the trouble being faced by the other shop owners; however, he said this did not mean the same thing would happen in his store.

He added that the only way the shop can take delivery is from the front in West Street; however, he said they always ensure staff are there and will stop unloading if they see people trying to cross the road.

Councillors considered the application in private before it was announced to the hearing that the licence would be granted.

The legal adviser said councillors decided the conditions on the licence were “appropriate and proportionate” to make sure the store would meet the licensing objectives.

They also said there was a “lack of supporting evidence” to back up the concerns raised by objectors, and said councillors did not think the issues faced at the other shop would necessarily occur at the new store.