Newsboy granted alcohol Licence

Denis Stevens was on hand at the town Hall this week, speaking on behalf of Cllr Mann who is on holiday against a licensing application for an off license in Chase Cross Road. Sadly, Councillors decided to grant the license, despite objections from the Police, albeit with some restrictions.

However, local residents have vowed to boycott a newsagent after councillors gave the green light for them to sell alcohol. At the end of the licensing meeting on Monday August 10, residents said that they would take action after the committee agreed the application for Newsboy in Chase Cross Road, Romford.

Resident Julie Green said: "I feel very disappointed because the committee has not fully grasped the weight of people's anger. "I think he will definitely see a decline in his sales because people will boycott the shop."

Councillors agreed for the off licence to sell alcohol but they also put on conditions restricting the sale of alcohol in the shop from 10am to 9pm for seven days a week, two people have to be on duty at all time and staff training to be provided.Other conditions included restricting two young people to the shop at one time, bottle and can marking, a refusal register to be kept and CCTV cameras to be installed.

Earlier the councillors heard a presentation from resident George Higgins who was against the application because he believed that it would add to the problems already in the area. He said: "If alcohol was introduced in the shop public safety and crime is going to take a bad turn and I can only see bad news coming in the future."

The residents were also concerned that more people were not able to respond against the application because it was advertised in a paper that was not delivered to all residents and advertised behind the counter in the shop.

Denis Steven, speaking on behalf of Cllr Andy Mann, (Havering Park, Resident's Association) said: "I am disappointed that the formal legal adverts about this application were placed in the Yellow Advertiser, a paper which is not delivered to the new Havering's estate and, living in Havering Road myself, a paper that is only delivered every other week or so."