Cannock Chase petrol station convenience store granted licence to sell alcohol

Tower Garage’s original premises licence application sought permission for alcohol sales 24 hours a day.

Cannock Chase Council received 22 letters of objection to the application however, as well as a petition from another shop signed by almost 1,000 people. Objectors raised concerns the move would lead to an increase in antisocial behaviour, littering and noise.

On Monday (February 10), Cannock Chase Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider the premises licence application, which also sought permission for hot drinks and food to be sold between 11pm and 5am – known as late night refreshment – at the as-yet unopened store earmarked for Brindley Road, Hednesford. Objectors claimed they had been told operators were seeking a premises licence for the hours between 6am and 10pm however.

They added that the premises was next to homes occupied by residents including elderly people. There are also shops already selling alcohol located nearby, they said, so they questioned the need for a premises licence to be granted for Tower Garage.

Councillor Darryl Mawle, who spoke at Monday’s hearing, said: “I am here to represent members of the public and I am here to talk about the alcohol part of the licence. There will be a lot more noise for residents, with cars pulling up and people going to the shop in the middle of the night, and I don’r that’s fair for residents.

“There will also be more litter – there is a lot of wind round there and it will blow everywhere. They might clear it up on their own forecourt, but I can’t see it happening off-site.

“I think it will be a magnet for antisocial behaviour and you can’t look at what has happened in the past because that place hasn’t been open. That garage has never been open 24 hours a day.”

Tower Garage Service Station said in its application form: “This is a new ground floor food based Morrisons daily convenience store located on a forecourt serving local residents and workers and those from further afield including passing trade. Online/telephone orders will also be delivered and collected.

“The forecourt has been acquired by our clients and it is to be redeveloped under the Morrisons daily convenience format to produce a strong retail offer much as the several hundred licensed Morrisons Forecourt stores across the country already trading. The site will be operated by our clients who already own and operate other licensed convenience stores on their own forecourts and the off-licence facility is an important part of the service that such a store is now expected to provide.”

Chris Mitchener, who spoke on behalf of the applicant at Monday’s hearing, said the garage was already able to open 24 hours a day, but permission was being sought for alcohol sales and late night refreshment. He added that there had been no objections raised by responsible authorities such as police and the concerns raised by residents related to “what may happen in the future”

“Some are against the site being open in the first place”, he added. “If anything was to arise, it would be dealt with swiftly and sufficiently by the applicant, if not the authority.

“The site benefits from a very comprehensive CCTV system and the applicant is aware of their social responsibility. The applicant has a responsibility to only sell alcohol to people who are of age and not drunk – all staff are individually trained in alcohol sales and have to take a written or computerised test to prove their understanding.”

Members of the panel granted permission for the premises licence, but imposed a series of conditions including limiting alcohol sale times to between 8am and 11pm each day. The applicants must also ensure that fencing does not include any flat surfaces that could be used as seating and that a named designated premises supervisor is in place at least six weeks before the shop’s opening date.