Police do U-turn over Chapel Ash booze bid
A supermarket in Chapel Ash that was refused a booze licence due to health concerns in the area is now in line to get one.
West Midlands Police have dropped all of their objections to a licence for Kultar Deol's Merridale Supermarket in the old Charles Clark dealership after a revised application went in.
Back in September, the original bid for an alcohol licence was rejected amid fears it would add to the area's existing drinking problems. At the time of the first meeting, the police said they would not support any application because of the alcohol issues in the area.
Sergeant Jake Flanagan, who is in charge of Wolverhampton police's licensing team, said: "In a nutshell we would not support any application for a licence."
But now the force has withdrawn all objections in a new proposal to be considered by licensing chiefs this week.
They have withdrawn their objections after Mr Deol agreed to a number of conditions put forward by the police, including having CCTV and keeping an incident log.
As well as the CCTV and incident log, in a separate document submitted, Mr Deol has also agreed not to sell single cans or bottles of beer, cider or lager with an alcohol percentage of 6.5 per cent or above. He has also agreed to having a personal licence holder present at all times during alcohol sale hours, and to prominently display the designated public place order which says the police has the power to seize booze.
Mr Deol's initial application was knocked back due to concerns from police and council officers about alcohol abuse in the area, citing that the Graiseley ward has the highest number of booze-related deaths in the city.
And these concerns have been raised again by three councillors in the area – Claire Darke, Craig Collingswood and Mike Hardacre.
In a letter they wrote to the licensing committee objecting to the application, they said: "We acknowledge the change in restrictions that have been made to this application since it last came before committee.
"However we are also aware that the area is a high profile area for anti-social behaviour largely fuelled by alcohol abuse. The area is overloaded with hostel accommodation for those who are vulnerable.
"Within a few yards of this projected off-licence are at least two other licensed premises, three public houses and a number of restaurants who sell alcohol.
"We find it difficult to see the need for another off-licence however secure the arrangements may be. We hope these views will be taken into consideration in your deliberations."
Merridale Supermarket forms part of the revamp of the Chapel Ash building, officially called Clifton House. Future improvements will include a hairdresser, estate agent, men's clothing store and various other shops as well as 36 apartments.
The new application will be considered by licensing chiefs this Thursday.