Moreton newsagent loses drinks licence

Oct 15 2008 By Lorna Hughes

A NEWSAGENT in Moreton has become the first in Wirral to have its licence to sell alcohol revoked after it was caught selling drinks to under-age customers.

Members of Wirral Council’s licensing committee took away the licence from Oasis newsagents, in Pasture Road, Moreton.

Councillors were told that, on one occasion, a cashier had sold two bottles of alcopops to a 15-year-old volunteer, but when questioned by Trading Standards the cashier said he did not normally work at the shop.

Raja Asim Ayub told the investigators he had asked at the newsagents if there was any work there, and had been told to mind the till for five minutes before being left alone in the shop.

The committee was told that Mr Ayub was since said to have moved to London, but the address given to police did not exist.

A statement by licensing officers from Merseyside police, presented to the Licensing Act 2003 sub committee, said the shop had twice sold alcohol to under-age customers in sting operations in March and August, after having only received its licence in February.

When contacted at the shop after yesterday’s ruling, Dariq Ahmed said they planned to appeal, and added: “They like big shops and large chains, but not small shops like us.”