Booze Bin Hyde Park: Leeds Council refuses to let shop sell alcohol every day amid ‘lack of seriousness’ claim

Booze Bin in Hyde Park faced objections to its application for round-the-clock alcohol sales seven days a week.

Police and council officers said it could fuel street drinking and nuisance behaviour linked to student parties near the shop on Brudnell Grove.

Ward councillors and Labour MP Alex Sobel also objected to the licence variation.

A licensing hearing was told Hyde Park was historically a student area, but more families had been moving there.

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Public health officer Jonathan Hindley said: “Student parties are prolific. It would be a one-stop to collect alcohol through the night.”

The shop is in a Cumulative Impact Area (CIA), classed as suffering from a high concentration of alcohol outlets.

The area is also subject to a public spaces protection order (PSPO), which bans alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

The hearing was told licence applicants in CIA areas were required to demonstrate that they would not add to alcohol-related problems.

But the applicant, Booze Bin Ltd, was not represented at the licensing sub-committee hearing on Tuesday (Feb 18).

Principal licensing officer Susan Duckworth said: “I think it shows a lack of seriousness about the application, and a lack of seriousness about the area.

“This is a highly residential area. It used to be mostly students. The students are being replaced by families. This is not conducive to a 24-hour off-licence.”

The sub-committee unanimously voted to reject the application.

Labour councillor Luke Farley, chairing the meeting, said: “I am somewhat miffed that the applicant has not even bothered to show up.”

Labour councillors Abdul Hannan and Jonathan Pryor, along with Green Party member Tim Goodal, were among the objectors.

The shop’s existing licence allows it to open until 11pm from Monday to Saturday, and until 10.30pm on Sundays.