Troubled shop’s bid to sell booze rejected

The application for Mario’s Mini Market, also known as Britannia Inn Shop, on Lindley Street was turned down by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee during a meeting last month.

The applicant had sought permission to sell alcohol from 11am to 11pm, seven days a week. However, the committee upheld objections from South Yorkshire Police, who had raised serious concerns under all four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

In their submissions, police warned that granting the licence risked exacerbating issues of street drinking and drug use in an area already experiencing high levels of anti-social behaviour. Officers also questioned the applicant’s suitability, citing a previous closure order and multiple instances of unlicensed activity linked to the premises.

Documents submitted to the committee detailed a troubling history of activity at the shop, including a November 2024 raid in which officers seized prescription-only medications Tramadol, Diazepam and Amitriptyline, alongside counterfeit cigarettes, illegal vapes, and unlicensed fireworks. The premises were also found to be unsanitary, with evidence of a cockroach infestation, expired food, and goods stored in bathrooms and behind counters.

Following the raid, a closure order was issued by Sheffield Magistrates Court on December 18, 2024. When officers returned the next day to enforce the order, they discovered an additional 720 illicit cigarettes hidden in the ceiling.

Although the shop was allowed to reopen in March 2025, council officers and police maintained that the previous offences and ongoing public nuisance concerns made it unsuitable for alcohol sales.

Despite the applicant’s pledges to implement strict alcohol sales protocols, including staff training, CCTV, a refusal register, and community engagement, the committee determined that the risks to public safety and order outweighed any assurances offered.

The applicant has the right to appeal the decision through the magistrates’ court.