‘They’re the reason my kids vape!’: Backlash over shop’s plan to sell alcohol
Trading Standards objects to a Maidstone shop’s alcohol licence bid after repeated underage sales and non-compliant product issues.Summary
Sumet Singh has applied to Maidstone council for a premises licence to sell alcohol at his Homeland store at 105 Week Street, between 7am and 11pm. Kent County Council Trading Standards has objected, citing nine visits since August 2019 that revealed failures in the Challenge 25 policy, non-compliant and counterfeit goods, poor staff training, and three failed underage test purchases out of four. Other issues included seized non-compliant vapes and nicotine pouches, no refusal register or training records, and CCTV out of action. Eleven objections were raised, including from Trading Standards and a mother who said her two daughters, aged 13 and 15, started vaping because of the shop. Mr Singh says the problems occurred before he managed the business himself and that everything is now in order. The licensing sub-committee will decide on September 21.
(Source：Kent Online)
