Spalding store hopes to secure alcohol licence after agreeing to police conditions

A store with a chequered past is hoping to secure an alcohol licence.

Spalding’s Amma Cash & Carry has applied to be able to sell booze from its Commercial Road premises - which has endured an unfavourable recent few years.

In February 2023, Haiman Fatah Mohamed - who recently saw a request to work at a town store refused - was jailed for 16 months after nearly 100,000 illegal cigarettes were seized from the property, then known as Euro Express.

Trading under the name Spalding Express, the store received a three-month closure order in August 2023 after a Lincolnshire Trading Standard officers and Spalding Police raid uncovered the sale of illegal vapes and cigarettes.

There is no suggestion that the current applicant PT A7A Ltd has any links to these previous incidents.

The Amma Cash & Carry premises - which has recently undergone a makeover - seeks a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between 6am and 11pm seven days a week.

A representation from Lincolnshire Police raised concerns regarding the operation of the premises in the close proximity to an area covered by a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), where street drinking is restricted.

The force requested conditions including: alcohol sales commence at 8am; measures to tackle street drinking including not selling single cans or bottles of beer, lager and cider; not selling super strength (ABV above 6.5) beer, lager and cider; and attaching waterproof labels with printed shop name and address to cans and bottles; that no member of staff shall be able to work at the premises unless they have provided satisfactory proof of identification and right to work; that no alcohol, medication, tobacco or vapes will be purchased from door to door sales vendors, only from wholesalers, and receipts for each of these products will be kept for a minimum of 12 months.

Through mediation the applicant has agreed to: no sales of single cans, or single bottles, of beer, lager and cider; a minimum sale of four items will be required unless the volume is more than 670ml per item; no member of staff shall be able to work at the premises unless they have provided satisfactory proof of identification and right to work; No beer, lager or cider with an ABV above 6.5% may be sold.

South Holland District Council’s licensing committee will meet today (Friday June 27) to discuss the application.