Two Coventry stores may be stripped of alcohol licences

[dutchman]

Police are calling for two Coventry stores to be stopped from selling booze after undercover swoops.

Police want the One Stop shop, in Broomfield Road, Earlsdon and Sandy Lane Newsagents, Radford, to be stripped of their alcohol licences.

A review of the store’s licences, both held by Poonnampalam Ushakaran, will be held on Thursday.

Police officers say they have “no faith” in staff at the One Stop after they failed four underage test purchases and found counterfeit bottles of alcohol at the shop.

In September last year a can of lager was sold to a 15-year-old boy by a worker who thought the boy was in his 20s.

On the same day the youngster went back to the shop and was sold booze another three times.

The licensing review meeting comes after police received calls from residents last July-October about staff selling alcohol to children in the area.

Officers also found suspected counterfeit bottles of wine, vodka and 17 unclassified porn DVDs, during a routine inspection.

The same month, at Sandy Lane Newsagents and Off Licence, they discovered two bottles of counterfeit vodka, five bottles of whisky and four unclassified porn DVDs.

[Spuffler]

I thought One Stop was Tesco...?

[dutchman]

I thought One Stop was Tesco...?

Not these ones Spuffler. The one in Broomfield Road was just a newsagents for many years.

[dutchman]

Coventry stores lose alcohol licences after selling porn and counterfeit booze

TWO Coventry stores have had their alcohol icences suspended after selling counterfeit booze, unlicensed porn DVDs and alcohol to underage teenagers.

Police and Trading Standards officers had called for a licensing review of the One Stop Newsagents, in Broomfield Road, Earlsdon, and Sandy Lane Off Licence, Radford.

Speaking about the One Stop shop at the meeting yesterday, principal trading standards officer Allan Harwood said one worker had illegally sold alcohol to a 15-year-old boy on four separate occasions last September despite knowing he was underage.

Mr Harwood said: “The video evidence shows that the sales assistant knew on two occasions that the boy was 15.

“He engaged in conversation with the boy and served two other people before continuing with the sale.”

The designated premise supervisor (DPS) and former shop owner Ponnampalam Ushakaran told the licensing committee that he sold his shop to a friend in August and was not responsible for the underage test purchase.

Speaking on behalf of his friend, who did not attend yesterday’s hearing, Mr Ushakaran admitted there was an underage test purchase and said the worker had been cautioned.

But members of the licensing review committee described the management as “shambolic” and suspended the licence for three months with conditions which include having a DPS based in the city and for all staff to be fully trained.

PC Claire Marston, licensing officer, said: “It was very clear the designated premise supervisor was not interested in the shop at all.

He kept saying he was selling the business and wasn’t going to improve the shop.

Trading Standards officers also seized counterfeit bottles of wine, whisky, vodka, and unclassified porn DVDs from both the One Stop shop and Mr Ushakaran’s other shop, Sandy Lane Off Licence, following routine inspections in September last year.

Speaking about Sandy Lane Newsagents, Mr Harwood said Mr Ushakaran had bought the booze from a cash and carry premises, which had since gone out of business.

Mr Ushakaran, who pleaded with the committee to give him another chance, said: “I have a mortgage and three children to look after. I have learnt from my experience and this will never happen again.”

The committee suspended the licence of the Sandy Lane store for one month on the basis Mr Ushakaran is removed as designated premise supervisor, trains all his staff, maintains a CCTV system and keeps a register giving details of each time a sale of alcohol is refused.

[PoundShopPeter]

Ah, that would explain the change of name recently - it's branded as a MACE store now.

[dutchman]

Ah, that would explain the change of name recently - it's branded as a MACE store now.

Thanks Peter. I wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't told me and I visit the chip shop next door to it once a week!

I remember when it was a plain newsagent's.