Smawthorne Lane: Shop boss scraps ‘minefield’ plan to sell ‘vodka slushies’ to customers in Castleford

A Wakefield Council licensing panel agreed to grant a premises licence for The Corner Shop, on Smawthorne Lane, Castleford, at a meeting on Monday (August 12).

The hearing took place after a community group and a local councillor objected to the application with claims it would add to anti-social behaviour in surrounding streets and a nearby park.

A member of Smawthorne Welfare Action Team also claimed shop owner Damien Render had advertised vodka slushies for sale on social media.

Tony Clarke, a licensing consultant representing Mr Render, told the meeting his client had never served the frozen drinks and had given up on the idea.

Mr Clarke described the regulations around the sale of alcoholic slush as “a minefield.”

The meeting was told that Mr Render had worked as a volunteer helping with issues in the local community for the past three and a half years, including helping to find accommodation for homeless people.

Mr Clarke said: “He and his wife decided to open up a corner shop to serve the local community and build a future for his two children.

“They have opened it up on a shoestring. Ongoing investment in the future will result in a better quality interior.”

Mr Clarke said there were several shops in the area which already had permission to sell alcohol, including a Sainsbury’s Local store.

West Yorkshire Police raised no objection to the application after Mr Render agreed not to allow individual sales of cans containing alcohol above six per cent.

The consultant added: “Our position is that there are already off-licences that are selling alcohol.

“My client is further away from the park and therefore our position is that this would be a safe licence to grant.

“A street drinker would not want to come into a shop where they can’t buy single cans.

“Mr Render can’t compete with shops like Asda.

“He cannot afford to sell cheap goods. The idea of selling alcohol is to serve his residents.”

Mr Clarke said recent crime statistics showed that the number offences committed in streets near to the shop were “remarkably low” for a densely populated area.

Councillor Duncan Smith asked:”There are concerns about alcoholic slush being targeted at young people. Would that be classed as cheap alcohol?”

Mr Clarke replied: “I went through the rules with (Mr Render) and made sure he understood that if you are going to sell it, you have got to advertise exactly what it is and measure it out exactly as it should be.

“So if you are saying it is four per cent, it’s got to be four per cent.

“You can measure that by pouring in a bottle of alcohol that’s 20 per cent and mix it with the right quantity of liquids that have no alcohol until you get the weakness back down to four per cent.

“But it’s such a difficult minefield.

“Damien has now taken the view that it is not worth dealing with.

“It was just an idea that he had in mind. It never actually got sold in the shop and it won’t be sold in the future.

“I don’t particularly agree with it myself.”

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Mr Clarke added: “Mr Render has just opened a small community store with his wife and he is hoping to make a great success of it.

“In my opinion he should be congratulated for having the courage in these dire financial times.”

Neither objector attended the meeting.

Councillors granted permission for alcohol to be sold daily between 7am and 11pm, with a condition that no alcoholic slush will be sold.

Other conditions were put in place to prevent deliveries before 8am and to ensure CCTV cameras are installed inside and outside of the store.

The front of the shop must also be cleared of litter at the close of business each day.

Paul Jacques, a senior legal advisor for the council, said: “The committee is satisfied that the applicant has addressed any potential issues and has reached the decision that the application should be granted.”