Shops win licences in face of opposition

Polskyie Specjaly and a new business in Halifax Road were given premises licences by a Kirklees licensing panel on Tuesday.

The decision was welcomed by Polskyie Specjaly owner Eryk Gawronski, who has moved from a smaller shop in Dewsbury Arcade to more prominent premises in Corporation Street.

A report to the panel detailed concerns from all three Dewsbury East councillors.

Coun Paul Kane (Lab) said: “There are issues with people buying Polish alcohol and drinking this in the town centre precinct, which is a no alcohol area.”

Coun Cathy Scott (Lab) added: “We have had many issues with this shop selling alcohol and people drinking it in the town centre.”

But police said there had been no issues with alcohol sales at Mr Gawronski’s previous shop in the Arcade.

They told the panel that it was another shop in the town centre which was to blame for any trouble.

In his application, Mr Gawronski said the shop would sell Polish produce and would not be promoted as an off-licence.

He said it would operate a Challenge 21 policy and refuse to sell alcohol to people without proof of age.

The panel granted a licence to sell alcohol on weekdays, 9am-7pm; Saturdays, 9am-5pm, and Sundays, 11am-4pm.

Conditions included installation of a CCTV system and adopting the Challenge 21 policy.

Meanwhile, Kofi Kwateng was given a licence for the shop he plans to open in a former pharmacy at 13 Halifax Road.

He had originally asked to sell alcohol until 4am daily but changed the finishing time to 2am after concerns from police and Coun Kane.

In a written objection, Coun Kane said: “There will be no control of who buys alcohol, where it is consumed and who drinks it.

“This is a licence for nuisance in this area and congregation of people at a time which is unsociable to the remainder of the community.”

Police asked for a 1am finish because customers going later than that time were likely to have been drinking already.

They said it could lead to noise nuisance and increased calls about disorder.

The panel gave a licence to sell alcohol Monday to Thursday, noon-1am, and Friday to Sunday, 8am-1am.

Conditions include installation of CCTV and having a personal licence holder on site if any alcohol was sold after 9pm.

Afterwards, Mr Kwateng told the Reporter he understood the reasons for the decision.

“Originally I wanted to open until 4am, but it appears that isn’t done anywhere in Dewsbury,” he said.

“Supermarkets are open 24 hours but when they come to smaller businesses they seem to have a different approach.”

Mr Kwateng said he would now move his business, Willans Newsagents, from its current shop in Willans Road to the Halifax Road premises.

He said might apply for later hours once the new shop was up and running.