Objections to Sheffield shop wanting to sell alcohol around the clock

Samy Limited has applied to Sheffield Council for a licence for Costcutter, on 111 St Mary’s Road, on the outskirts of the city centre.

On behalf of all three City ward councillors, Coun Ruth Mersereau said: “We would like to lodge a formal objection on the grounds it isn’t appropriate to sell alcohol off-premises 24 hours-a-day.

“We would like to see a prohibition on sales of alcohol between 3am and 8am inclusive.

“This is to ensure consistency with independent shops that recently agreed to an 8am start, and in view of the undoubted public health risks of uncontrolled drinking.

“We would also like to raise a point about discrimination.

"As there is no requirement for British people to have a passport, and in addition some people with disabilities are not permitted to have a driving licence, they could potentially be excluded by the requirement to have one of these in order to buy alcohol.

“Can we suggest instead there is a requirement for proof of reasonable ID, so as to give enough flexibility to the retailer not to discriminate in those cases where it arises.”

The applicant has already agreed to three conditions on request of public health and South Yorkshire Police.

These are a monthly meeting for the first year between the licence holder and public health alcohol service recovery team, maintain a refusals log in an agreed format and not serve people who appear drunk or drugged and have a sign at the exit asking customers to leave quietly at night.

But Magdalena Boo, health improvement principal, said: “Although there was some mitigation and two conditions agreed, Public wished to still make representation against this application.

“I am happy with these conditions insofar as they mitigate the risk of proximity to alcohol treatment services.

“However, I don’t believe any condition will mitigate the risks of having a 24 hour off license in City Ward which has 83 per cent higher alcohol attributable deaths than Sheffield as a whole. These risks are about the availability and affordability of alcohol. So I would continue to make representation on this point.”

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