'Unlawful trade' sees shop's licence revoked

A.J's was reportedly contributing to anti-social behaviour in central Middlesbrough

A shop has been stripped of its licence following accusations its "unlawful" trade contributed to crime and anti-social behaviour.

A.J's in Middlesbrough was providing super-strength alcohol to "vulnerable people" and adding to problems in a troubled area, police said.

"Irresponsible" retailer Savior Selvaras Tharmeswaran repeatedly refused to address concerns, according to a licensing report.

Mr Tharmeswaran said his business would close if he could not sell alcohol and blamed a bin outside of the shop for attracting street drinkers.

'Floor to ceiling'

A public health official previously reported seeing 50 crates of Knights 8.4% cider "stacked from floor to ceiling" in the shop's stockroom, with single cans being sold to clearly intoxicated people, including one woman who had "shown her backside" to staff.

According to submissions from police and council officers to Middlesbrough Council's licensing sub-committee, street drinkers were regularly loitering in the vicinity of the shop, which is opposite a primary school.

A report summarising the committee's decision to revoke A.J's licence said that Mr Tharmeswaran did not accept that his shop caused problems of crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

He reportedly said that the removal of a bin, rather than the revoking of his licence, would resolve the problem of people drinking outside.

"He submits that people can get alcohol from any other premises," the report adds.

'No confidence'

The report said that the licence holder and staff "continually operated in breach of licensing conditions" and had been trading "unlawfully and irresponsibly".

Highlighting the risk posed by the shop's customers, it said officers had repeatedly explained the potential consequences of offering "high strength single cans and strong large bottles of cider to people who go on to cause problems".

A lack of staff training, failures in CCTV recording and inadequate bookkeeping were also mentioned as evidence of "chaotic" management.

The report said the committee had "no confidence" in Mr Thameswaran, and said revocation of the licence was the appropriate action to take.

It added: "The premises licence holder was the cause for irresponsible trading at the premises, which attracts street and problem drinkers in an area that suffers from serious alcohol-fuelled harm."