Bid for new convenience store in Southsea raises concerns

Portsmouth councillors are set to consider a licence for the Highland Express Convenience Store, which would open in a currently disused unit at 121 Highland Road.

If approved the store would open and sell alcohol between 6am and midnight every day.

Ahead of the licensing meeting two representations have been made by residents nearby and 10 have signed a petition objecting to the store.

Dawn Staker, who lives in Highland Road said: 'To say parking is extremely limited as it is for residents, the shop is within a few metres of a T-junction. To then open a convenience store together with an alcohol licence 18 hours out of 24 per day is going to create a huge problem both for residents and visitors to the shop if driving.

'To the immediate right and left of the shop resides families with very young children, the shop being open for 18 hours is clearly going to disturb them.

'Is it necessary to operate an alcohol licence for 18 hours per day? Is it necessary to open a convenient store for these hours of business?'

In the petition signed by Highland Road residents it said: 'We feel this will have an impact on families living above and near this shop, causing nuisance, noise and disturbance due to the selling of alcohol and opening hours to 12 at night.'

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As part of the application, submitted by Kumarasamy Uthayatharan, it is proposed that several standard conditions will be met.

The application said: 'CCTV will be installed and maintained. The footage will be kept for at least 31 days and must be produced to a police officer of officer of the local authority when making a lawful request.

'No beer, lager or cider above 6.5 per cent ABV will be sold at the premises. Challenge 25 will be in place and all staff will be trained on their responsibilities in selling alcohol with reference to the Challenge 25 policy.

'A refusal log will be kept recording all instances when the sale of alcohol is refused.'

The licensing committee will discuss the application at a virtual meeting on Thursday, September 10.

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