Remote licensing meeting delay for Jopling Stores
A “virtual meeting” to decide on an alcohol licence for a new city centre convenience store has been deferred.
Sunderland City Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee were due to decide on a new premises licence for Jopling Stores.
The business is based in the ground floor of student accommodation development
Jopling House, off John Street.
According to licensing documents,thestorehasbeensellingnon-alcoholproductssince early February.
Under new plans, applicant Ladykirk Investments Ltd applied for permission to sell alcohol products between 10am-8pm, Monday to Saturdayand10am-5pmonSunday.
Agendapapersforthehearingalsooutlinedmeasuresthat
would be taken by the applicant to uphold the council’s licensing objectives.
This ranged from CCTV, staff training around proxy sales and a “Challenge 25” policy to employing a door supervisor, operating a refusals register and limiting the types of alcohol sold.
During consultation, no objections were received from Northumbria Police or other responsible authorities.
However, two petitions containing a combined total of nearly40signaturesweresubmitted raising concerns about antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related crime.
A meeting to decide the application was originally listed on the council’s website for
April 20 as a “remote meeting.
This week, the meeting was cancelled with a decision expected to be made at a later date.
Earlier in April, the Government removed requirements for physical attendance at local authority meetings to ensure “effective and transparent” decision making during the Covid-19 lockdown.