'Unnecessary and disproportionate': Petition against 24-hour booze sales at off-licence

A council licensing hearing is to be held after residents signed a petition against plans to sell alcohol 24 hours a day at a convenience store.

An application has been submitted to Wakefield Council to vary the licensing conditions at the premises at 43 Barnsley Road, South Elmsall.

The applicant has requested permission to increase the hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises from 10am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and from noon to 10pm on Sundays, to round-the-clock sales on a daily basis.

A request has also been made to increase the size of the licensed area within the store and to allow “late night refreshment” between 11pm and 5am, daily.

A Wakefield Council licensing sub-committee hearing has been scheduled for July 28 after after one objection and a petition containing residents’ signatures were submitted to the authority.

The objector opposes the scheme on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

The objection states: “As a local resident, I am not aware of any unmet need for overnight alcohol sales in South Elmsall.

“Granting a 24-hour licence would primarily increase availability during the hours when most residents are sleeping and when alcohol-related anti-social behaviour is more likely to occur.

“In my view, the additional hours are unnecessary and disproportionate given the potential impact on local residents.”

The objector added: “Intoxicated individuals may create risks for themselves and others, particularly on nearby roads and public areas during late-night and early-morning periods.”

Documents submitted to the authority by Licensing Solutions, the agent representing the applicant, said the store was covered by an “extensive” CCTV system and staff operated a “challenge 25” proof of age policy.

The application said staff were also trained to deal with public nuisance “situations” and cans or bottles of lager and cider above 6.5 per cent ABV would not be sold at the premises.