Police investigate after shop fails to pay £93k electricity bill
A shop in Stourbridge is being investigated after failing to pay an electricity bill of almost £100,000.
The electricity supply at Londis on Lye High Street was cut off after owners did not pay a bill of £93,944.
Police are now investigating the shop for the suspected illegal use of electricity.
The store is also being reviewed by Dudley Council's licencing committee after shop workers sold a bottle of wine to a 16-year-old boy.
Bosses will find out next week if they will keep the shop's licence to sell alcohol or not.
The review has been brought by trading standards officers after the youngster was sold the bottle in October last year.
It is the second time the store has been caught selling alcohol to under-aged customers after it made a sale to a 15 year-old in 2013.
Both purchases were made by volunteers working with Trading Standards officers.
There were also two previous test sales in 2018 and 2017 which resulted in youngsters being turned away.
The review is supported by police who are carrying out the electricity investigation.
Councillors have the power to either revoke the the store’s licence, to suspend it for up to three months or to place extra conditions on sales.
Members of the Licencing Sub-Committee will decide what action they will take at a meeting on Tuesday, January 29.
By George Makin
Local Democracy Reporter
