Village shop to be renamed as late-night booze bid approved
A village shop will be allowed to sell booze until late at night, despite the application prompting fears of anti-social behaviour.
Engarshal Sinnarasa is soon to take over Taylors, which will be renamed The Green Convenience Store, in Bearsted, and applied for a licence to open from 6am-11pm daily, and sell alcohol in those hours.
His planning agents told Maidstone council selling booze would allow the business to offer the “complete all-round convenience service” and would be done in a “responsible manner”. They added: “Mr Sinnarasa will do absolutely everything he can, within his power and control, to prevent crime and disorder.”
Mr Sinnarasa already owns
Bearsted News, as well as R2 Post Office and Lucky News – both in Loose.
The council’s licensing department received two letters supporting the application but 10 residents wrote to object, worried it would lead to a rise in anti-social behaviour.
Mark Mills wrote: “My concern is that the sale of alcohol up to such a late hour will generate a level of noise that is incongruous with the tranquillity enjoyed by the local residents.” Ward councillor Val Springett (Con) said the request to serve alcohol until 11pm had “divided the community”.
She said: “We welcome this change. The shop has been very old fashioned, very outdated for a long while, and I’m actually very enthusiastic about what you’re bringing.
“The concerns are the latenight hours will be encouraging youths to gather.”
Several residents mentioned increasing anti-social behaviour from youths, including drug-taking and threats to locals. However, Frank Fender, a licensing consultant who attended the meeting with Mr Sinnarasa, said the fears of increased rowdiness due to the shop were “speculation.”
The police’s website recorded just two reports of anti-social behaviour there in December. “There’s no evidence to suggest that crimes of this nature occur in Bearsted,” he added. Mr Fender added the shop was not expected to regularly open until 11pm.
Members of the licensing committee suggested a condition that if it was open and selling alcohol after 7pm, at least two members of staff have to be working. It was agreed the measure could be put in place for alcohol sales after 9.30pm and the committee granted Mr Sinnarasa’s application.