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From left, Tom Watson and Arunkumar Patel with Dennis Kleinberg |
Stationery a write-off for newsagent in age of email
Shop wins booze licence as sales of pens and paper drop off
A NEWSAGENT near the Barbican has blamed the march of the electronic age for declining stationery sales.
Now Arunkumar Patel has been granted a licence to sell alcohol, which he says will compensate for the drop in stationery revenue.
Mr Patel, who has run Barbican News in Whitecross Street for 19 years, said the popularity of laptops and email has hit the stationery market.
He added: “A pack of 24 pads used to go in a few weeks or a month. Now it can be sitting there for a year.
“I can’t afford to have thousands of pounds worth of stock just sitting in the shop.”
Barbican News was granted an alcohol licence at a Town Hall licensing meeting last Monday.
Mr Patel had met neighbours on the Whitbread estate beforehand to explain his new venture. Tom Watson, Mr Patel’s agent, said his client would not sell drink with an alcohol content of more than 5.5 per cent.
The aim was to deter “young people and homeless people” congregating and causing trouble.
Drink will be sold between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 4pm on Sundays.
Dennis Kleinberg, chairman of Whitbread estate tenants’ and residents’ association, said: “We were concerned a late licence would cause nuisance and bring crime and undesirables to the area.
“We’re happy that a compromise has been reached over the restricted hours.”
Mr Patel hopes to boost his business through bulk sales to City firms nearby. |
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