Supermarket overcomes opposition to trial alcohol sales at East Durham petrol station

Asda asked Durham County Council’s licensing sub-committee to supply alcohol at its convenience and petrol store in Yoden Way, Peterlee, between 7am-11pm daily as part of a wider trial.

Solicitor Richard Taylor, for Asda, said Covid had changed people’s habits towards “little and often shops”.

He said: “What Asda is doing is trialling five of its petrol filling stations with alcohol sales to see how that goes, and this is one of those stores.

“The idea is if somebody wants a bottle of wine, a couple of beers to go with their meal, they can nip in. Asda just wants to serve those customers.

“If the trial is successful then you may well see quite a lot more.”

He said the shop would have measures including “top notch” CCTV, the Challenge 25 proof of age scheme, a till prompt system, spirits kept behind the counter and no sales of single cans or miniatures which might be linked to “street drinking or young people”.

Councillor Diane Howarth, ward member for Peterlee East, objected to the request, saying it would antagonise a “huge problem” of alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour in the area.

She added: “Youths frequent convenience stores to hang around until late causing nuisance and intimidation to consumers using them.”

Mr Taylor responded: “The experts on crime and disorder, the police, don’t object to this application at all.

“What is the evidence against it? Well, there is nothing.”

The committee granted the licence.