Convenience store given later licence despite concerns

A convenience store in Blackpool has been given the go ahead to sell alcohol until midnight, despite objections over drink-related problems in the area.

The Newsagents store at 60 Coronation Street in Central Blackpool had a premises licence which allowed it to sell alcohol (off the premises) until 10pm.

Store operators, Focus General Management North West Ltd, applied to Blackpool Council’s licensing panel for a variation of the premises license agreement to extend those times by two hours each night.

The application was approved by the panel this week and the company behind the store said there was no link between off-licences and a rise in crime.

One of the objectors was Blackpool councillor Gerard Walsh, who said he was disappointed by the decision.

He said: “I know some people may say it is only a small convenience store and it won’t make any difference.

“The point is, I have seen the problems that alcohol abuse can have on people’s health and on the wider community, including the link with crime and disorder.

“Blackpool – and this part of town in particular – has a real problem with that.

“This decision will encourage others, they will think they have carte blanche to submit these kinds of applications, to the detriment of the community.”

The successful variation application now allows permission to extend the opening hours to Monday to Sunday 8am to 12am and to extend the hours for supply of alcohol off the premises to Monday to Sunday from 8am to 12am.

John Morgan, of the Central Blackpool Business Forum, also objected and said in his submitted letter: “We feel that extending the hours of sale of alcohol from 10pm to midnight will increase ASB (anti-social behaviour) and drunken behaviour in the central holiday area. This area already suffers from high rates of crime and ASB, with alcoholics and drug addicts housed nearby.”

However, M Squared Services Ltd, on behalf of the applicant, said: “There can be no argument that the area and Talbot Ward in general suffers from particularly high levels of crime but what is in dispute is the cause.

“Since 2019 off licence numbers have reduced. From the 17 Off licences in operation three are not what could be described as traditional off licences.

“There can be no correlation to off licences being the cause for such an increase when the numbers have reduced so significantly and running parallel to this there is no evidence locally of off licences being subject to enforcement activity or being the direct cause of any significant crime. “