Stourbridge shop ordered to remain closed and has alcohol licence revoked

Stourbridge Mini Market, South Road, Stourbridge, which is situated within Broadway Service Station, has been forced to close for another three months after it was originally given a three-month closure in July earlier this year.

The owners of Stourbridge Mini Market, South Road appeared at Dudley Magistrates’ Court in October, in a case brought back to court by Dudley Council’s trading standards.

The shop had previously been ordered to close earlier in the summer after a trading standards investigation found the proprietors, Rebar Salar and Saman Mehmud had sold vape products to children on two occasions. Officers also found illegal cigarettes and vape products on numerous occasions.

The court heard that following the original three-month closure order the proprietors made no attempt to satisfy trading standards that they would operate a legitimate business after the closure order was due to expire.

The owners took over the shop in December 2022. Both appeared at Dudley Magistrates’ Court to plead to the court to allow their shop to reopen.

Despite both owners objecting to the extended closure order, the court told them that the shop was to remain closed for a further three months, until January 10, 2024.

In October, the council’s licensing sub committee also considered an application made by trading standards to review the shop’s alcohol licence.

The committee took the decision to revoke the shop’s licence to sell alcohol to prevent crime and disorder and to protect children from harm.

Councillor Ian Bevan, cabinet member for public health, said: "I fully support the extended closure of this business and the revoking of its alcohol licence.

"The owners have shown their unwillingness to satisfy the concerns raised by trading standards and until they do, we will do what we can to keep it closed.

"If, and when, it is able to reopen, the fact they are no longer able to sell alcohol will remove the threat of it being sold to children.

"Rogue businesses such as this one harm the community and affect legitimate businesses in the area."

Trading Standards previously closed the shop in July after they carried out a test purchase using a child volunteer who was sold a vape.

Inside the premises they found 3,000 illegal vapes.

Further sting operations, inspections and warrants were executed on the business, resulting in large seizures of illegal vapes and tobacco, some of which had been stored in a vehicle and in two separate properties.