Sheffield post office store now allowed to sell alcohol 24 hours a day
A Sheffield post office will now become part of a convenience store with a 24-hour off licence that the new owner said was the only way to save the business.
A meeting of Sheffield City Council’s licensing sub-committee today (March 11) agreed to grant the licence for the post office in Fulwood Road, Broomhill despite objections by a ward councillor on behalf of residents.
Coun Brian Holmshaw argued that allowing 24-hour alcohol sales could lead to anti-social behaviour and potentially attract street drinkers who will soon be moved on from the city centre by an incoming public space protection order.
He said he was worried Broomhill might become a “second West Street”.
Nirujan Alponce Thavarasa, aged 26, said that the post office has been up for sale for two years with no interest shown, because the landlord wants to put the rent up from £800 a month to £2,200. The couple who run the post office want to retire, so if he does not take over it will close, with the loss of five jobs.
“There is no way the post office will survive,” said Mr Thavarsa. “One of the questions raised was ‘does it [the licence] need to be approved for the post office to survive?’. The answer is yes.”
Quiet
He anticipated that late-night customers would mainly be locals and night workers at nearby hospitals. He said the area is quiet in the early hours because other licensed premises close by 1am.
His solicitor Lohi Loganathan argued that police and other authorities have not objected to the licence and conditions have been imposed. She said: “We will adhere to the terms of the meeting with police.
“There is an option for the police if we don’t keep to conditions to revoke our licence.”
Coun Holmshaw said: “I am concerned about the concentration of late-night licences in this heavily-populated residential area of the city and I wanted to bring this before the licensing committee due to the out-of-proportion hours which have been requested.
“It simply isn’t appropriate to sell alcohol overnight every day of the working week in Broomhill.
“I have been told that there are up to eight public houses, bars and off licences in the area and a number of people have contacted me and said this is enough for the area, there are already these trading within a 100-to-150-metre radius.”
Complaints
He said that local pub closing times have been synchronised, so it is not a hard drinking area. “What does happen is that people pass through walking into town or back to halls of residence or their homes and what should not happen is that they are tempted to stop and get tanked up by doing so.”
Crime and bad behaviour in the area could increase, said Coun Holmshaw. He also mentioned complaints that people are drinking at night at Crookes Valley Park.
Coun Holmshaw added that the city Archer Project homelessness support service warns that overnight alcohol sales lead to higher crime levels. “None of us would like Broomhill to become a destination for late night, early hours drinking – a second West Street.”
The city centre public space protection order starts from April 1 “so the pressure will be on for street drinkers to find other locations out and in other areas of inner-city Sheffield”.