High strength booze ban in place for store

A member of staff admitted selling the drink and a fixed penalty notice was given, along with a warning letter to the premises supervisor.

Despite warnings, constables witnessed another employee serve an apparently inebriated woman around a week later. A PC entered the shop and body worn camera footage showed staff bagging up cans of high strength lager for the woman who was swaying side to side.

Maidstone licensing officer James Williams made several visits to the shop to discuss the issues with Vegavanavel Sivothayan and suggested minor adjustments should be considered to allow the premises licence holder, Mr Sivothayan’s wife, Kavitha, to make necessary changes.

Kent Police’s report said the pair have not taken any action. Upmart is now banned from selling beer, lager or cider stronger than 7% ABV.

CCTV at the shop, which makes 40% of its sales through alcohol, must be improved while an electronic system to record alcohol refusals will also be brought in.

Gill Sherratt, from Licensing Matters, represented Mr Sivothayan at the hearing yesterday (Wednesday).

She said: “Mr Sivothayan has been let down by other legal representation previously and that’s why we are here.

“He accepts the failings and fully accepts the improvements that need to be made.” Chairing Wednesday’s meeting, Cllr Dave Naghi said: “As a committee we’d like to remind Mr Sivothayan of his responsibility.

“Every person with a selling licence has a responsibility. We don’t want to to create any more problems than we have in Maidstone. If every licence holder was to take their responsibility serious we would have less meetings like this one.”