A SHOPKEEPER in Caerphilly has applied to sell alcohol for longer each day.
Amar Khehra, who runs the ‘8 Til Late’ general store, on Bedwas Road, hopes to increase the premises’ licensable hours to 8am to midnight each day.
Currently, the business can sell alcohol between 8am and 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 10.30pm on Sundays.
No members of the public objected to the proposal during a recent consultation period, but a report shows a Caerphilly County Borough Council environmental health officer has raised “significant concerns” about the impact on people living nearby.
The officer has instead proposed daily hours of 8am to 11pm for alcohol sales, which she said was in line with similar premises in the area.
“To go beyond this would be inconsistent with other similar premises in the area and set an unwelcome precedent in a residential area,” she added.
Other organisations have been less critical of the shopkeeper’s application, however.
Gwent Police has not objected to the proposals, but has suggested some extra conditions, including CCTV, and some “rewording” of the current premises licence.
The council’s trading standards department has backed the police’s proposals, and the licensing department said there is “agreement” between the agencies and the applicant.
Caerphilly Council’s licensing committee is due to meet on Thursday February 13 to discuss the proposals and hear the representations for and against extending the premises’ alcohol sales hours.
