Ruling made over store's alcohol licence after police warning of high crime levels

A council licensing panel approved an application by Uma Nanthiny Agilan for a licence for a new Premier store on Bond Street in South Shore, between 8am and 11pm Monday to Sunday, after hearing the owner was relocating.

This meant an existing alcohol licence would be surrendered, while councillors on the panel were also satisfied the applicant had a good track record of running the business.

Licensing consultant Mark Marshall, who represented Ms Uma Nanthiny Agilan, said the applicant currently operated a nearby premises but had issues with their landlord.

Minutes from the hearing add: “The intention of the applicant had been therefore to relocate their store and effectively operate the same business in the new location.

“The applicant agreed that they would surrender the licence for the other premises. The current premises operated by the applicant were run well and no issues had been caused to the responsible authorities.”

Blackpool Police licensing department had objected to the application, warning the area already attracts one of the highest levels of drink related crime in the town.

Bond Street is also within a cumulative impact zone – a council designated area where the number of licensed premises is more strongly controlled.

The minutes say PC Guy Harrison told the hearing there were “existing issues in the area caused by the large number of licensed premises and the high levels of crime and anti-social behaviour.”

However the panel ruled the application should be granted as an exception to the cumulative impact policy on the grounds it would be the relocation of an existing premises, and the good track record of the applicant.