Plans to allow indoor drinking at a Preston shop and cafe face opposition over reports that boozing and smoking has already been happening inside.

BG Shop is based in a small unit with a wooden extension on Bow Lane and primarily sells a range of Bulgarian food and home goods and owner Elena Kostadinova wants to allow visitors to drink inside the building. However, a licensing application has been opposed by the city council’s Licensing department, its Environmental Health department and Lancashire Constabulary.

The shop’s current licence allows for alcohol to be sold and consumed elsewhere but the proposed amendment would allow for people to drink on-site any time between 8am and 10pm seven days a week.

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However, evidence submitted to the licensing subcommittee states this has already been taking place and questions whether it can be trusted that the necessary laws will be followed.

Liz Wallace-Mills, senior licensing officer, explained that a visit in September 2023 found CCTV evidence of alcohol being consumed on site as well as the presence of pint and half pint glasses and bottle openers.

She said Ms Kostadinova was advised to apply to change the licence but this did not happen for another 10 months. During a visit last month, the staff member working was not aware of the Challenge 25 concept and could not tell the council officer or police the legal drinking age. Meanwhile, ashtrays were placed on tables with CCTV footage showing people smoking inside. Ms Wallace-Mills wrote: “This is a further display of Ms Kostadinova’s lack of regard for complying with legislation.” 

In her submission, senior environmental health officer Marie McCracken points to complaints from neighbours about noise and rubbish building up outside, though she notes the latter issue was quickly addressed.

She also argues the close proximity to homes and the “poor construction” of the seated area – which is partly constructed from pallets, plywood and a corrugated roof – mean that noise is likely to be a problem.

Lancashire Police licensing officer Ste Connolly has also submitted a formal objection which references several visits to the shop which concluded it was already selling drinks for on-site consumption. He said this was continuing as recently as July, as was indoor smoking, and that a previous visit resulted in the seizure of “foreign medicines which were deemed unlawful for sale in the UK.”

PC Connolly concluded: “Following discussions with the DPS and the sole director of the company which holds the Premises Licence, we have considerable concerns over her lack of knowledge around the Licensing Act.

“Lancashire Constabulary have concerns that should the licence be granted it will undermine the Licensing Objectives of Prevention of Crime & Disorder and protection of children from harm.”

Preston City Council’s licensing subcommittee will meet on Friday, September 6 to decide the application

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