The Corner Shop (Singh's Superstore) at 6 Beaconsfield Road in Southall has had its application to sell alcohol rejected by Ealing Council following concerns about street drinking and anti-social behaviour in the area. The decision was made at a licensing hearing on Wednesday, October 21, after evidence from the Metropolitan Police highlighted the prevalence of public intoxication, urination, and assaults in the vicinity.
Application details and proposed hours
The shop, whose signage already advertises beers and spirits, sought permission to sell alcohol between 8am and 11pm Monday to Saturday, and between 10am and 10.30pm on Sundays. During the hearing, the applicant, Mr Sukhpal Singh Chopra, offered to reduce the hours alcohol would be sold, but this did not satisfy council officers or the licensing committee.
Ealing Council officers raised specific concerns about the sale of alcohol during early morning hours, when children are travelling to the nearby school. The committee chair and councillor for Perivale, Munir Ahmed, questioned Mr Singh Chopra directly, asking why he had not considered that an 8am start time was inappropriate given the presence of schools and offices in the area.
Applicant's response and business pressures
Mr Singh Chopra reaffirmed his offer to change the hours during the meeting. He told councillors that business costs are increasing so substantially that he cannot afford to hire any staff beyond his brother to run the shop. He argued that the sale of alcohol would support his business and improve its prospects.
However, councillors reaffirmed that financial considerations cannot be taken into account when determining a licensing application. The premises is located within the Southall Special Policy Area (SPA), where there is a policy presumption against applications likely to add to the cumulative impact of issues such as street drinking, unless the applicant can demonstrate the premises would not exacerbate such problems.
Police evidence and community impact
Evidence given by the Metropolitan Police held significant weight in the outcome of the committee. In a written statement, PC Anu Mittu said: "The reason why an SPA was introduced was because it was recognised the serious public nuisance, crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour that was generated and fuelled by the presence of alcohol being readily available from licenced premises…"
PC Mittu further stated that Southall is known to be a problematic area for street drinking, with an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour. Individuals loiter on the streets and drink alcohol, leading to urinating in the street, littering, and making members of the public feel unsafe - particularly women, children, and vulnerable adults. The statement also noted assaults between drunk individuals, giving a general feeling of the area being unsafe, and that the location appears to be a magnet for anti-social behaviour and crime.
The individuals, often in groups, usually arrive with shop-bought alcohol such as cider, beer, lager, and spirits, and drink throughout the day. This often results in drunk, intoxicated individuals passing out on benches, side streets, car parks, parks, and alleyways.
Committee decision and rationale
Returning the decision, Cllr Munir Ahmed said: "Although the applicant acknowledged the reasons for this special policy area, his answers did not sufficiently explain how the proposed operation would address those particular concerns or demonstrate adequate practical arrangements to avoid adding negatively to existing cumulative impact."
He added that the committee considered whether conditions offered by Mr Singh Chopra would enable the granting of a licence, but councillors determined that it would not, and if approved, it would add to the cumulative impact of a concentration of off-licences in the area. The application was therefore refused.
