West London Co-op Faces Three-Month Licence Suspension Over Multiple Breaches
A West London convenience store located opposite Shepherd's Bush Green has had its alcohol licence suspended for three months following a series of licensing violations discovered during council inspections. The premises, operating as a Co-op franchise under Niza Enterprises on Uxbridge Road, was found to have committed multiple breaches during three separate visits by Hammersmith and Fulham Council officials last summer.
String of Violations Uncovered
According to council documents presented to the Licensing Sub-Committee, the store was found selling single cans and bottles of beer and cider, offering spirit mixtures above 5.5% alcohol content from self-service areas, and accepting cash payments for alcohol sales between 11pm and 2am instead of requiring card transactions. Additionally, inspectors noted the absence of a personal licence holder on the premises during their visits.
Bill Masini, a former Licensing and Trading Standards Officer for the council, detailed these breaches in his application, stating that the store's management appeared to have "lost some control over the running of this shop, acting only when Licensing have intervened." The violations were particularly concerning given the area's existing issues with antisocial behavior.
Council and Police Push for Strong Action
Trading Standards, supported by Metropolitan Police representatives, had initially requested complete revocation of the store's licence. PC Charlotte Bennett from the Met emphasized that the breaches demonstrated "a disregard for the 'prevention of crime and disorder' licensing objective" and noted that Shepherd's Bush Green already experiences "high levels of antisocial behaviour, including street drinking, drug use and violence."
James Dismore, a Licensing Enforcement Manager who stepped in after Mr. Masini left his position, told committee members that the breaches had "exacerbated" local antisocial behavior issues and "caused a public nuisance to residents, businesses and visitors to the area." He added that "trust has been lost and lessons from the previous review forgotten," referencing a 2019 licence review that resulted in reduced opening hours.
Legal Representative Accuses Council of Misconduct
During the March 25 hearing, Luke Elford, a partner at Keystone Law representing Niza Enterprises and its director Visvanathan Ragunathan, made serious allegations against council officials. He claimed there had been "wilful ignoring of correspondence" and failures to follow proper procedures, describing the situation as potentially "a television drama."
Mr. Elford went further, alleging that errors in both the original December application (which was withdrawn due to administrative issues) and the subsequent submission constituted criminal acts. "We have got officers of the council having no regard to the Section 182 guidance, which they must have regard to, and failing to work in partnership with the premises licence holder," he stated.
Council Defends Its Position
Adrian Overton, Licensing Team Manager for Hammersmith and Fulham Council, acknowledged that a mistake had been made with the initial application but described suggestions of criminal intent as "absurd." He characterized the error as "an honest mistake" by Mr. Masini and noted that the council had received legal advice confirming this position.
Keith Walmsley, a former police officer and councillor who conducted his own inspections of the store, testified that he found no breaches during his three visits since last summer. The store's representatives also detailed compliance training undertaken since the council's inspections and noted that no further violations had been recorded.
Committee Reaches Compromise Decision
Despite strong arguments from both Trading Standards and police representatives advocating for licence revocation, the Licensing Sub-Committee ultimately decided on a three-month suspension without adding new conditions. This represents a middle ground between the complete revocation sought by enforcement authorities and the store's desire to continue operating without interruption.
The decision follows a complex procedural history that included a withdrawn December hearing due to administrative errors and significant legal arguments about proper process. The store will now face three months without alcohol sales as it works to regain compliance with licensing requirements in an area already struggling with antisocial behavior concerns.
