Islington News: School | Finsbury Primary School |

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Islington Tribune - by TOM FOOT
Published: 30 January 2009

School gets drinks store as neighbour

Warning about drunken youths fails to block bid

A SHOP opposite a Finsbury primary school is to be allowed to sell alcohol after pleas from parents, teachers and councillors were ignored
Teachers and governors at Hugh Myddelton Primary School, in Myddelton Street, opposed plans by Angel’s Supermarket to sell drink. Objectors claimed children would get their older friends to buy alcohol for them and would be exposed to wandering drunks.
In a letter of complaint, chairman of school governors David Hankins warned: “The children would be at risk from groups of drunken young adults congregating around the door of the shop as is already the case in Exmouth Market.”
An 80-signature petition was presented to the Town Hall. On Monday, Lib Dem councillor Ruth Polling, representing residents, told a licensing committee meeting: “The children would potentially be able to buy alcohol. It will be a significant disruption to residents.”
Parent Janet Brown said: “There will be youths and other people under the influence of alcohol. I have lived here for 22 years. If this licence is granted it would be a very worrying development.”
But a solicitor acting on behalf of supermarket owners Husseyin Varol and Murat Kayran said: “It is typical for people to raise concerns about anti-social behaviour and immediately say: ‘Let’s just blame it on the supermarket.’ It is not fair to target my client as the whipping boy out of wider frustrations about society.
“It is unbelievable to think that primary school children would be able to get alcohol from this supermarket.”
Angel’s Supermarket, which will open in two to three weeks, will serve alcohol between 8am and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and 8am and 11pm the rest of the week.
Meeting chairman Lib Dem councillor Anna Berent said: “No more than two unaccompanied schoolchildren can go in the shop at any time.
“If there are problems they can be reported and the licence can be subject to review.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: