Garage’s booze bid is slammed by residents
Community council lodge objection with licensing board
Residents have objected to plans for a Newmains petrol station to sell booze.
Newmains Community Council are against the Londis shop, which is located within the Shell Garage in Main Street, to sell alcohol.
They sent a letter of objection to the council’s licensing board before last Friday’s deadline.
Community councillors unanimously voted against the plans at their monthly community council meeting held in the NCT Centre last Wednesday night.
John Harper, chairman of the community council, agreed to write a letter opposing the plans on behalf of the community council.
He said “I am not happy with Newmains getting another licence to sell alcohol, especially a petrol station.”
Community councillors said that there is overprovision of selling alcohol in Newmains.
“There is already Asda, which is next to the garage; the Co-op and Four-Ways offsales in Newmains.
“The alcohol will be cheaper at Asda next door than at the garage.”
But the community council heard how the Scottish Government have made it more difficult for licensing boards to reject an application for garages to sell booze. Similar applications by petrol stations in the Cumbernauld area had been granted.
In the past, councillors would have normally rejected an application like this.
And the objection to the booze licence comes as the Wishaw Press reported last week that 79 drivers were found over the drink- drive limit in Lanarkshire from December 2 to January 2.
One community councillor added: “You read in the paper about drink driving. “This is a stupid place to sell alcohol.” All Londis stores are independently owned. This one is owned by Certas Energy UK Ltd who are the UK’s largest distributor of Shell products.
Brian Worrall, Director of Corporate Affairs Certas Energy UK Limited, said: “We can confirm the Londis store is in the process of applying for an alcohol licence.
“We have a track record of being a responsible retailer in the region and the 14 alcohol vending stores that we run throughout Scotland have experienced no issues.
“We always ensure that our staff are fully trained and understand the responsibilities involved in the selling of alcohol.”
Councillors on the licensing board will decide on the application at their next meeting within six weeks.