Posted by 
Police found a drunk staff member with a cricket bat and kitchen knife stored behind the counter during a visit to a Ribleton shop hoping to get a new alcohol licence.
Lancashire Constabulary and Trading Standards both made visits to Miller News, on Miller Road, as part of checks before Preston City Council decides whether it should be allowed to sell booze again. On two occasions, the weapons were found behind the counter with the lone employee described as “intoxicated” on the latter occasion.
It was later found he was living above the shop in a room with no cooking facilities or fire exit and an Emergency Prohibition Order was put in to stop the unsuitable space being used as a residential space.
The authority’s licensing sub-committee will meet on January 7 to decide whether to grant a licence after the previous one elapsed following the sale of the business.
Licensing officer PC Ste Connolly has submitted an objection on behalf of the police, arguing new owner Nadarajah Kajenthiran previous actions point to a risk of further failures and accusing his staff of dishonesty and arguing.
According to a submission to the sub-committee, the first police involvement came when the annual licence fee was not paid and PC Connolly visited on October 1, at which point it was found the shop had been sold months earlier and the licence still in the name of someone no longer involved in the business.
The officer advised that alcohol and tobacco must be removed from sale, while also advising on policies such as CCTV and signage. He returned the following day and found the licensed goods still visible and a further search uncovered the weapons and a bottle opener attached to the counter which suggested drinks were being sold to be taken away.
A licensing application was then submitted before a third visit in October found many of the problems raised by PC Connolly had not been addressed and that plastic covering on the alcohol appeared “disturbed” as if sales had continued. On this occasion, Mr Kajenthiran pleaded with the officer not to object to the licence as the shop was not making money without alcohol sales.
Concluding his objection, PC Connolly wrote: “Whilst Mr Kajenthiran has only just submitted an application for a Premises Licence, he has unlawfully been running the premises for approximately six months.
“In addition to this the staff employed by Mr Kajenthiran have exhibited concerning behaviour and a willingness to be dishonest towards a Responsible Authority as such we believe that the premises are not capable in complying with any licence conditions or promoting the Licensing Objectives.”
In his own submission, Mr Kajenthiran showed evidence of training courses which had been completed by staff, improved CCTV and signage, the former accommodation now emptied, and a petition of 35 people supporting the application.
A witness statement from David Cookson, a licensing officer with Preston City Council detailed how he carried out a test visit in October and was repeatedly refused alcohol sales.
Subscribe: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox.
Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines
