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Police have objected to plans for a convenience store on Birkenhead's Grange Road West to sell alcohol, saying it would add to problems in an area already covered by special licensing rules.
Councillors will decide the application, along with a second bid from a shop a few doors away on the same street, at a Licensing Act Sub-Committee meeting on Thursday, 5 November.
Balasivamoorthy Krishnamoorthy has applied for a premises licence for Grange Road West Convenience Store (Premier), at 82-84 Grange Road West.
He wants to sell alcohol to take away from 10am to 10pm, seven days a week, with the shop open from 6am to 11pm.
Both shops are inside Birkenhead's cumulative impact area, which covers Charing Cross, Grange Road West, Grange Mount, Oxton Road and the edge of the town centre.
The council brought in the policy in 2017 after Merseyside Police provided evidence that the number of off-licences there was fuelling crime, disorder and nuisance. It has been reviewed three times since.
Under the rules, councillors must consider whether a new licence would add to the problem.
A report to councillors says the local police inspector believes granting the Premier licence would undermine the aims of preventing crime and disorder and public nuisance, and would add to the area's cumulative impact.
Objections to the Premier application have also come from:
- A resident concerned about the number of licensed premises in the area and continued anti-social behaviour.
- A resident who campaigns for the Wirral Green Party, who says residents have raised concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.
- Ward councillor Steve Foulkes, who refers to anti-social behaviour and street drinking near the shop.
The second application is from Iuly and Beny Limited for Plaiul Romanesc, at 58 Grange Road West.
It first asked to sell alcohol from 7am to 11pm, but cut this to 10am to 8pm after talks with police, who have not objected.
The shop has also agreed to sell only Romanian alcohol, keep it behind the counter, not sell single cans or strong beer and cider, and not advertise alcohol outside.
Cllr Foulkes has objected to that application too, saying street drinking and anti-social behaviour in the area would get worse.
The sub-committee can grant the applications, add conditions or refuse them. Its decisions can be appealed to the magistrates' court.
The same committee heard the application from Oxton's Blind Cow restaurant this week, with the license now being granted. We have previously reported that Grange Road West is to remain one-way.
