Four newsagents banned from selling booze
Friday November 18, 2011
Four newsagents on North End Road, West Kensington have been banned from selling any booze.
The premises were all raided by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) earlier in the year following proactive searches in the area.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee met on November 7 and 14 and has decided to revoke the alcohol licences on the grounds of crime and disorder.
When Bowmans News, North End Road was raided in April 2011, HMRC uncovered £22,000 of illegal booze with no duty paid on it. That amounted to around 257 litres of vodka and similar quantities of whisky and wine. They also found 67.5kg of tobacco with no duty paid on it and 8,200 illegal cigarettes.
In addition, Bowmans failed a test purchasing event when a 14 year-old boy walked in and bought two cans of Kronenbourg beer.
The other premises to be banned from selling alcohol are:
- North End Supermarket, North End Parade
- Your Best One, North End Road
- North End Supermarket, North End Road.
Cllr Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler, chairman of the Licensing Sub-Committee, said: "I am absolutely appalled that these four newsagents thought that they could get away with their actions. Alcohol has duty paid on it for many good reasons. The committee voted unanimously to revoke the alcohol licences at each of these premises as we have a duty to protect our residents from crime and disorder caused by the actions or omissions of unscrupulous shop owners.”
All four applications are now subject to a 21 day period in which the premises licence holders can appeal the decision to the local magistrates court. If this happens they may continue to trade until the court has determined the appeal. Should no appeal be made the premises must all stop selling alcohol on the 22nd day.
