Go-ahead for off-licence near retirement village

PLANS for an off-licence in a West town have been given the go-ahead, despite concerns from locals that it will cause anti-social behaviour in a retirement village.

Convenience store chain One Stop said that opening a shop in Keynsham’s Chocolate Quarter would create 10-13 jobs, with some taken by experienced people within the company and others hired from the local community.

Speaking at an application hearing before Bath and North East Somerset Council’s licensing sub-committee on Thursday, One Stop licensing manager Hardish Purewal said: “We feel incredibly privileged to be a part of this neighbourhood. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

But the plans to open an offlicence at the former Cadbury’s factory have prompted concerns from some neighbours that it will lead to anti-social behaviour.

In a letter of objection to the shop’s alcohol licence, Julie Coleman warned: “The proposed premises are very near a school and opposite a child’s playground. Also, directly outside is a seating area.

“My concern is that youths may gather and make themselves a nuisance whilst gathering, also causing noise and litter. This is apparent on the local high street from late afternoon onwards.”

In another statement, Jill Terrington warned: “I believe it will lead to antisocial behaviour which will have an impact on people in the flats nearby and the elderly residents in the St Monica Trust care home and flats.”

Caron Mills added in her statement: “Selling alcohol will act as a magnet attracting young adults from other parts of Keynsham... There is seating in the area outside the shop which will be an inducement to stay put and consume the alcohol without moving on.”

Although welcoming the shop, residents questioned if it needed to sell alcohol late at night.

Ms Mills added: “I would be surprised if St Monica’s are supporting this licensing application as it stands, due to the impact antisocial behaviour will have on residents who are receiving palliative care and those who suffer with various forms of dementia.

“The relative calm and peace they experience in the current environment would be compromised.”

But in fact the care home did give the application its backing. In a statement, Simon Lexton of the St Monica Trust said: “Since the development opened as a retirement village in 2017, our residents have petitioned us for a shop on-site, including the provision of selling alcohol.

“We regard the provision of a shop with alcohol sales as benefit to all those who live on the Somerdale site and that it will help bring closer integration between the retirement village and the private housing.”

At the hearing, Ms Purewal assured councillors: “We want to be good neighbours.”

Councillors agreed to grant the alcohol licence as applied for. It is planned that the shop will open in May.