Wolverhampton shop that sold illegal cigarettes in bid to re-open
A corner shop where trading standards officers seized illegal cigarettes is bidding to reopen again.
Wolverhampton Council’s licensing sub committee will meet next Monday to consider an application for an off licence called Fresh Food & Drink Ltd to open on Newhampton Road West in the city.
But the application has been strongly opposed by West Midlands Police, as well as licensing and public health bosses, because of fears of the impact the store would have on an area plagued by anti-social behaviour.
The store previously operated as the Euro Shop and Sgt Steph Reynolds, of Wolverhampton Police, said it had a history of supplying illicit tobacco with offences dating back to 2015.
It also falls within a designated ‘cumulative impact zone’ which is put in place when there are concerns about nuisance or disorder in an area.
In his application, Pavel Slavon Hristov said he wanted to open the shop from 5am in the morning until 11pm at night, seven days a week.
The application also pledges to honour a string of conditions to uphold licensing and crime and safety objectives such as not selling tobacco that doesn’t comply with UK legislation, having a ‘Challenge 25’ policy for the sale of alcohol, working CCTV accessible to the police and fully trained staff.
All necessary checks to ensure staff are entitled to work in the UK will be carried out, it adds.
But Sgt Reynolds said: “The applicant has a history of being involved in the supply of illegal tobacco, dating back as far as 2015.
“The application has requested the sale of alcohol between 5am and 11pm seven days a week, with no justification as to why these excessive hours are required.
“Giving consideration to the shop’s previous history (when called the Euro Shop) of selling a significant amount of illegal tobacco and the concerns regarding this applicant, West Midlands Police have concerns as to how this
applicant would uphold the licensing objectives.
“The premises is also situated in a ‘cumulative impact zone’ and the applicant has not explained or justified how they will not impact in this area.”
