Store can sell alcohol again - but 24 hour licence is denied

In October Bradford Council stripped Taha Ali Said, licensee of Jimmys Store, a 24 hour off licence on Great Horton Road, of his alcohol licence.

A Licensing panel had heard the business had been caught selling counterfeit cigarettes on Trading Standards operations in late 2022 and early 2023.

In one raid on the business and a linked flat, 21 boxes of nitrous oxide cannisters were seized.

On Wednesday, the panel was asked to decide whether the business’ new operator, Morad Omer, could have a 24 hour alcohol licence.

The panel granted Mr Omer a licence, but on reduced hours, meaning the store will only be able to sell alcohol between 8am and midnight.

Councillor Nazam Azam (Lab, City) had objected to the licence bid – saying the store was linked to anti-social behaviour in the area.

In a letter to the panel he said the store had “continued to operate and the anti-social behaviour,  illegal sale of counterfeit cigarettes and gas cannisters also continues.

“I believe any new application shall affect the residential amenity of neighbours through the ASB which exists as a direct result of this licenced premises.”

Councillor Nazam Azam (Image: newsquest)

At the meeting Geoff Dixon, of Manchester Licensing Training, represented Mr Omer. He said: “He has previous experience holding a premises licence. I put him through the training to gain a premises licence four years ago.

“We are asking for you to re-instate the original licence for 24 hours, seven days a week.”

He criticised the objection that suggested the business had been operating illegally since the licence was revoked.

He told the panel that Trading Standards had carried out a test purchase in November, when Mr Omer was running the businesses, and the store passed that test – refusing to serve age restricted goods to a child.

Mr Dixon added: “To single out this premises as the cause of all anti-social behaviour in the area is unreasonable.”

He said Mr Omer had no connections with the previous licence holder.

Cllr Azam questioned how the store was still servicing alcohol, despite the previous licence being revoked in late October.

The Council’s licensing team told him the business had most recently been operating on Temporary Event Notices – short term licences that allow alcohol to be sold on a one off basis.

Chair of the Committee Councillor Malcolm Slater (Lab, Keighley East) said: “I thought these notices were mainly used for a village gala on a Sunday afternoon.”

He was told that business can also apply for such notices, and in this case the TEN allowed the store to serve alcohol for seven days. After that period another temporary notice was put in place – although businesses are limited on how many of these notices they can apply for each year.

Mr Dixon said another TEN was due to start on Thursday, pending the outcome of the meeting.

Cllr Azam said: “My objection isn’t against this individual; it is against the activity that has been taking place around this shop for too long.

“I don’t know why the applicant thinks it is great they passed a test purchase – that should be the very least the business should strive for. Well done.

“My objection is there is no need for a 24 hour alcohol business in this area.”

He said at the very least the panel should consider a licence for shorter hours.

He told the panel that groups of people purchase alcohol at the store before congregating in nearby streets.

There have been occasions where people in the area have been seen openly taken drugs – he claimed.

Cllr Azam added: “I am not saying this is all to do with this premises, but that shows the severity of the problem that exists at the moment.”

Cllr Slater said: “If the shop wasn’t there would this still happen?”

Cllr Azam replied: “It would be greatly reduced. The area wouldn’t be an attraction to drinkers any more.”

The panel decided to grant a licence to Mr Omer, but for the hours of 8am to midnight – not the 24 hour licence he had applied for.