Outcome of Hetton post office booze bid after neighbour raises noise and parking fears
A planned new shop at a post office has been granted a licence to sell alcohol despite concerns from a resident living nearby.
It comes after a licensing application was submitted to Sunderland City Council for the Post Office in Front Street, Hetton-le-Hole.
The premises is being converted into a convenience store featuring products for household needs – and applicant Mariyathas Rexon was seeking to secure permission for alcohol sales to form part of the business.
The proposals sought to allow the premises to sell booze between 6am and midnight seven days a week, in line with the opening hours.
The application had to go before a recent meeting of the city council’s licensing sub-committee after an objection was lodged from a nearby resident.
Worries were raised around potential noise nuisance lasting late into the night and poor parking around the Post Office being exacerbated by the proposals, causing safety issues for both residents and other vehicles.
Following the hearing local authority chiefs confirmed the premises would be granted a licence to sell alcohol, but for the slightly shorter hours of 6am until 11pm.
Councillors outlined how this was in line with the nearby Tesco Express store.
One of the key concerns raised by the objector was around the use of the Post Office storeroom, which intersects the adjacent residential property, and potential noise nuisance coming from this during the hours requested.
To help combat this a condition was previously agreed with the applicant which means the use of the storeroom will cease with the closure of the Post Office at 8pm.
The shop element of the premises, selling alcohol and other products, would then remain open until later.
As part of the ruling from the sub-committee, the premises will also be required to put up signage asking people to park responsibly to help combat concerns raised in regards to highway issues.
A representative on behalf of the applicant speaking at the committee meeting stressed a “good operating schedule which is robust” will be in place to ensure the shop experiences no issues.
Measures will include staff training, including yearly refreshers, thorough CCTV coverage, the operation of a Challenge 25 Policy and the keeping of an incident log and refusals register.
The application added: “The newly refitted store will be a great convenience to customers.
“The Post Office will continue to operate as the way it is existing now with enhanced services.”
The meeting heard an application for planning permission will be required for the store to open at the site, however this is a separate issue and not linked to the licensing proposals.
Similarly councillors heard the objector had raised concerns around a restricted covenant being in place on the premises which restricts the use of the building from being a public house, beer shop or other building for the sale of malt liquors, wines or spirits.
Officers noted again this is a separate matter to the determination of the licensing application and parties would need to seek independent legal advice around this.
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