A WYKE store has been granted a licence to sell alcohol, despite claims there is already a proliferation of booze vendors in the village.

At a meeting yesterday Bradford Council’s District Licensing Panel approved a licence for Abrakadabra on Town Gate.

The business has been using temporary events licences to sell alcohol since opening.

At the meeting, members heard from applicant Patrycja Dominika Andrukianiec, who said the licence was needed for the store to be successful.

They were told around 27 per cent of the sales of such stores came from alcohol sales.

But the panel also heard from two Wyke Councillors, who fear a new licence for the village could lead to a “flare up” in anti-social behaviour.

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Members were told that Mrs Andrukianiec had worked hard to make a life for herself after arriving in Bradford from Poland in 2004, working up to 50 hours a week. She hoped the shop would allow her to provide for her family.

The shop had opened two months ago, and in that time successfully applied for three temporary events licenses, which allowed them to sell alcohol for 18 days.

Mrs Andrukianiec told members that there had been no issues since she opened, and that police who visited the store while on patrol told her it was a “quiet area” with the only recent crime being a burglary at a restaurant.

When members asked her how many other business near Abrakadabra sold alcohol, she said there was a pub and three stores that sold alcohol, including Asda.

Councillor David Warburton (Lab Wyke) was at the meeting to speak against the plans. He said there were six pubs within half a mile, as well as seven shops that sold alcohol.

He added: “There has been problems with anti social behaviour. Over the last 18 months things have been a lot better due to police activity in the area and the business watch scheme.

“The proliferation of businesses where you can buy alcohol in Wyke is the major concern for me. Things are ok now but it won’t take much for things to flare up again.”

He said he was particularly concerned about the proposed hours of opening - 8am to 11pm.

Cllr Warburton also voiced concerns over the use of temporary licences to allow the sale of alcohol. Licensing officers said police and environmental health officers would be informed of any such temporary licences, but local Councillors, neighbouring businesses and members of the public would not need to be informed.

He was asked if the business watch scheme, set up in response to crime and anti social behaviour in Wyke, was going.

Cllr Warburton said it was operating “reasonably well” but added: “Not every business has taken it on board, which is making it a bit more difficult.”

The panel approved the licence, but with reduced hours. Alcohol can be now sold in the shop from 8am to 10pm.