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A plan to sell alcohol around the clock at a Rhymney petrol station shop has sparked a row over antisocial behaviour, with one neighbour insisting locals “want to just live in peace”.
Three neighbours told Caerphilly County Borough Council they were opposed to an application for extended alcohol sales at the Londis convenience store on Victoria Road.
The applicant, Atlas UK Groups Ltd, also wants permission to sell food and hot drinks in the early hours, and to increase the size of the premises.
But council officers have recommended 24/7 booze sales should not be permitted in light of residents’ complaints.
At a meeting of the council’s licensing committee, on Monday June 29, one neighbour – a Mrs Vaughan – alleged she and other locals were already affected by light pollution and the noise of “boy racers” revving engines, slamming car doors and playing music nearby.
The neighbours who objected claimed this behaviour, along with littering and other antisocial behaviour, was linked to the shop – which is already allowed to open 24 hours a day, but must stop selling booze between 11pm and 7.30am.
“We want to just live in peace in our homes – and it’s really difficult at the moment,” she told the committee.
Suresh Kanapathi, representing the applicant, said the current premises manager had ten years’ experience and had only taken over the premises in March.
He disagreed with claims of “constant noise” from the premises and “rowdy” customers, and said the shop had been expanded “to become like a supermarket” for the area.
“The alcohol is going to be a small part of the premises,” he insisted.
But the committee chairman, Cllr Shane Williams, pointed out the store could already sell groceries around the clock.
Council environmental health officer Victoria Woodland warned late-night alcohol sales could be “very impactful for areas where you have residents… trying to sleep”.
“We know that alcohol-fuelled individuals bring about public nuisance,” she said. “It’s a bit different from buying a packet of crisps and a can of Coke.”
The committee also heard how trading standards officers had prior concerns about the presence of a licence holder and the upkeep of a logbook on underage sale refusals at the premises.
Gwent Police had no formal objections to the proposals provided new licence conditions were agreed by the applicant, PC Adrian Jones told the committee.
He said there had been 19 local incidents reported to the police since March, including five linked to the premises.
This included a man becoming “aggressive and abusive” when he couldn’t buy alcohol at the store shortly before 2am one day, and a separate reported incident in which a man was refused alcohol at 7.20am on April 19 and then allegedly “brandished a scissors and [went] behind the till area [to take] a quantity of money from the till before leaving”.
However, PC Jones told the committee “you can’t hold the premises licence holder responsible for being a victim of a crime”.
The committee retired to consider the case and will publish its decision within five working days.