Licence revoked

Selling illegal products has cost a Grantham business its premises licence.

The European Mini Market on Wharf Road had their licence revoked last week following the discovery of counterfeit cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol earlier this year.

Lincolnshire Police requested a review of the premises licence after a trained search dog located cigarettes in a hidden compartment under the shop counter when they visited the premises in February with Revenue and Customs and Trading Standards. A further operation was carried out in May when an officer was again sold illegal cigarettes.

The premises can continue to sell alcohol until the period for appeal has passed or if an appeal is made until the matter has heard by Magistrates.

Chairman of the district council's alcohol and entertainment licensing committee Cllr Pam Bosworth, said: "The committee has a duty to promote the licensing objectives.

"In this case we heard evidence that the objective of prevention of crime and disorder was being seriously undermined.

"We felt that the incidents in this case were so serious that nothing short of revocation of the licence was sufficient to promote the licensing objectives in the public interest. Counterfeit cigarettes have a financial consequence to lawful traders and in addition there are issues of public safety."