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Off-licence saturation
• I ATTENDED a licensing sub-committee this week and have come away depressed and asking fundamental questions about our licensing laws.
Londis the grocery chain, intend to open a shop in Westbourne Road in a small row of shops in a quiet residential area. They applied for and have now been granted a licence to sell alcohol. The shop is immediately next to an existing privately-owned neighbourhood grocer with an off-licence.
There were a number of objectors at the meeting.
Liberal Democrat councillor and ex-council leader James Kempton explained why the application would damage the special character of the area.
He also said the off-licence would be next door to the new academy school and, as a governor, he was concerned about the harmful implications of this for the children.
Cross-party support was given by Labour councillor Barry Edwards, who is himself a member of the overall licensing committee.
He said this area, among a number in Islington, had reached “off-licence saturation point”.
The committee noted that there had been 30 letters of objection and that a petition had been presented with over 450 signatories.
Underlying almost all of these objections is the public concern for the problems caused by the easy access to cheap alcohol. (Londis has applied for a licence from 6am to 11pm).
The sub-committee took two hours to decide it could not accept any of the objections, and that they did not have the authority under the act to refuse the application.
The council recognises alcohol is a problem and have launched initiatives to address this and have spent much ratepayers’ money trying to deal with the consequences. Councils appear, however, unable to address the root cause rather than the symptoms, which is the easy availability of alcohol for sale.
This makes no sense to the “man in the street”. If this really is the case we can only conclude that the law “is an ass” and that we must campaign to change it.
David Trillo
Ellington Street Residents’ Association
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