Night-time peace and quiet is not much to ask

Residents who live near the Asda store in Somers Road, Fratton, are quite rightly getting jumpy over the supermarket’s application to sell alcohol 24 hours day. The residents have been there before.

When a convenience store used to have a 24-hour alcohol licence those who lived nearby would often witness trouble outside their homes.

Jan Williams, who has lived in Garnier Street for about 10 years, said: ‘If it happens it’ll be a total nightmare. We used to get loads of fights right outside our house and people kicking off. And it was all so noisy.’ They were memories backed up by neighbour Peter Fisher, who added: ‘It used to be a rat-run here when the corner shop used to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.’

The supermarket is only open from 6am to midnight currently and from 10am-4pm on Sundays so if it gets the go-ahead for 24-hour alcohol sales it will need to apply for planning permission to increase its opening hours.

And its alcohol licence is restricted from 7am until 11pm.

Asda has said the 24-hour licence would just allow customers to buy drinks during the full length of its existing opening hours and is not a bid to actually sell drinks all night.

Although that is no doubt little consolation to those who live nearby and have witnessed the anti-social behaviour outside their homes in the past and some are concerned it could lead to 24 hour opening.

The issue is not due to be discussed until January 6 and councillors have urged concerned residents to voice their fears to the licensing team in the form of objections while a number of residents have written to one councillor saying they are planning to give deputations at the meeting.

Let’s hope common sense prevails.