Booze licence granted despite fears troubled street’s problems will intensify

A licence application by Mardin Mini Market and Off Licence at 67 Wellgate, was granted with conditions by Rotherham Council’s licensing panel on December 18.

The shop is described as a convenience store with an off licence, and its owner has now been granted a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises seven days a week between 8am and 11pm.

Operators of the shop must operate the Challenge 25 policy, and keep a written register of refusals including a description of people who have been unable to provide ID to prove their age.

A CCTV system must be installed, and no under-18s will be allowed on the premises after 10pm.

Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times and a litter bin is to be installed and maintained outside the shop.

Residents raised concerns that the street is plagued by public drinking, noise nuisance, vandalism, and ‘danger to people and property’.

One resident said: “We currently already have public nuisance and disorder on Wellgate, particularly late at night.

“I believe public nuisance and disorder will be made much worse with the additional consumption of alcohol in public, and in particular the late night availability of alcohol to be drunk off the premises.”

A letter, submitted on behalf of 18 residents, adds: “I and other residents feel that additional late opening premises would potentially add further disturbance, noise, litter and anti-social behaviour at the foot of a residential street.

“The town centre including Wellgate is currently designated as an anti-social behaviour hotspot due to ongoing problems with street drinkers, persistent begging and drug users regularly congregating, causing a number of issues.

“Recently, the adjacent multi-storey car park had to provide extra security for two months at public expense to mitigate persistent gatherings of persons drinking, drug taking and related anti-social behaviour.

“Additionally sheltered accommodation premises provided by a housing association on Clifton Bank had to close due to the premises attracting a number of street drinkers.

“There is regularly a litter problem on Wellgate Mount and Wellgate.”

However, the applicant’s representatives told the council that the shop would not sell single cans, or beers, lagers or ciders over 6.6 per cent, and that the applicant ‘could not be held accountable for other premises’ actions’.

They added that there had been ‘no history of disorder, noise complaints or any other cause for concern’ at the premises, and there would be no other employees in the shop, nor would a delivery service be implemented.

A report following the granting of the licence stated that RMBC’s licensing sub-committee ‘did not feel that there was sufficient evidence that the licensing objectives would not be promoted by the application’.

It added: “Due note was also taken of the action being taken by the applicant to address any concerns that the objectors may have had in relation to the application.”