Petrol station shop and residents at odds over alcohol sales plan

The owners of a petrol station shop are “very, very confident there won’t be a problem” with antisocial behaviour if it wins a bid to start selling alcohol.

The Asda Express shop on Newport Road, Trethomas, has applied for permission to begin off-sales of booze between 6am and 11pm daily.

More than 100 residents, many of nearby Graig y Rhacca, have opposed the plans, fearing new instances of bad behaviour and litter that they allege was linked to the site when it was previously allowed to sell booze.

New owners Asda Express disagree, however, and a solicitor for the firm told Caerphilly County Borough Council’s licensing committee the business had a spotless track record across the UK for sticking to the rules.

The committee met on Tuesday July 30 to hear representations from those supporting and objecting the Asda Express proposals, which also include sales of hot drinks overnight.

The firm initially requested a licence to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, but later rowed back from that position, following concerns from the police and the council’s environmental health team – both of which told the committee they had no further objections to the revised proposals.

Richard Taylor, a solicitor for Gosschalks LLP, said his client Asda had never faced review proceedings for alcohol sales under current licensing legislation.

That was “testament to the quality of its practices… and its training” for staff, he said, adding the firm “wants to be a good neighbour”.

The firm’s current proposals for alcohol sales are “exactly the same as Tesco down the road” from the petrol station, he told the committee.

Resident Kevin Ingram, speaking on behalf of those in the community who object to the plans, said the “problem is the consequence of the actions of the individual after the alcohol is sold”.

He alleged a nearby woodland had previously been plagued by incidents of littering and nuisance behaviour.

But Gwent Police licensing officer, PC Adrian Jones, told the committee there had been no calls relating to antisocial behaviour linked to the petrol station since 2017.

Committee member Cllr Colin Gordon noted recent changes to Wales’ workplace recycling rules and said many firms were removing their bins.

Mr Taylor told him “we are not changing the bins at all”.

Environmental health officer Victoria Woodland said her department had “significant concern” about the original plans for 24-hour alcohol sales, but the “reasonable” compromise to the new hours had “satisfied” those worries.

Committee chairman, Cllr Shane Williams, noted the residents’ opposition to the plans, telling the meeting members “are aware of what the residents have submitted to us” and “are fully aware of their feelings”.

Mr Taylor added he would “accept wholeheartedly that there are these concerns” from the community, but said any past problems “won’t reoccur”.

The committee will publish a decision on the application within five working days.