Petrol station shop wins battle to start selling alcohol

A petrol station shop in Trethomas can start selling alcohol despite concerns about littering and antisocial behaviour, councillors have decided.

More than 100 residents of nearby Lower Graig Y Rhacca signed a petition opposing Asda Express’ proposals for booze sales.

They told Caerphilly County Borough Council’s licensing committee the Newport Road garage previously sold alcohol, and claimed there had been a “significant reduction in crime and disorder” and other bad behaviour since those sales stopped.

But at a meeting on July 30, committee members heard Gwent Police had found no incidents of antisocial behaviour linked to the garage in recent years.

The force and the council’s own licensing officers offered no objections to the Asda Express proposal to sell alcohol for off-site consumption between 6am and 11pm daily.

The firm had initially applied for a 24-hour licence but stepped back from that initial request following feedback from the police and council.

At the July 30 meeting, a solicitor representing Asda Express said the firm was “very, very confident there won’t be a problem” with antisocial behaviour if the committee approved the licence.

Richard Taylor, the solicitor, also lauded the firm’s training and practices, telling the committee Asda Express “wants to be a good neighbour” and had never been the subject of a licensing review.

The firm’s current proposals for alcohol sales were “exactly the same as Tesco down the road”, he added.

The committee also heard from resident Kevin Ingram, who told members his community was concerned about the “consequence of the actions of the individual after the alcohol is sold”.

Cllr Shane Williams, chairing the meeting, said the committee was “fully aware” of residents’ feelings.

The committee has also approved Asda Express to sell hot drinks overnight via a “night hatch”.