Pompey Shell garage clinches 24/7 alcohol licence

The Shell garage on Goldsmith Avenue has been successful in its bid to serve drink at all hours and stay open all the time.

Portsmouth City Council’s licensing sub-committee pored over its application yesterday and members were happy to approve, so long as garage officials adhere to a set of agreed police conditions.

And the panel was satisfied customers would not load up on alcohol at Shell before a Pompey match game and cause trouble – and would ‘more likely go to the pub to meet their friends’ instead.

Lib Dem councillor Dave Ashmore, who sat on the committee, said: ‘The police had their concerns and that’s why it was brought to the sub-committee. But they hammered out an agreement with the applicant before they entered the room. So it was then able to be approved.

‘It’s always on my mind, when someone wants to extend alcohol sales to around the clock, particularly in a place where there aren’t a lot of other places that do it.

‘But there’s the Kwiki Mart store opposite, which has a late-night licence. Because they will have conditions in place, there’s not really a lot we could say or have done.’

Ukip councillor Julie Bird, committee chairwoman, said: ‘I don’t think it’s that likely more people will go to the off-licence before a match, they would rather go to a pub and meet their friends.’

Police have stipulated there must be a CCTV system in place which has the capacity to store pictures over 31 days.

An extra CCTV camera will be put at the front of the store to cover the area outside.

A ‘challenge 25’ age policy regarding alcohol sales will be enforced and no high strength beers, lagers or ciders above 6.5 per cent ABV shall be sold unless they are ‘premium products’.

No alcohol shall be displayed within 3m of the customer entrances/exits and signs will be displayed at the exit asking customers to leave quietly.

Late-night food will be sold from 11pm to 5am.