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Alcohol & Gambling Licensing Sub-Committee - Wednesday 18th June 2025 1.00 pm

June 18, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

The Alcohol & Gambling Licensing Sub-Committee of West Northamptonshire Council was scheduled to convene remotely via Zoom to address a single agenda item. The main focus of the meeting was to be a premises licence review application for Viva Mini Market. The sub-committee was also expected to decide whether to exclude the press and public while they made their decision.

Premises Licence Review Application - Viva Mini Market

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application by Northamptonshire Police for a premises licence review of Viva Mini Market located at 199b Kettering Road, Northampton, NN1 4BP. The review application was submitted on the grounds of failure to promote the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder.

The application was prompted by an inspection carried out at the premises on 12 March 2025 by West Northamptonshire Council Trading Standards officers and Northamptonshire Police. According to the report pack, officers found illegal disposable electronic cigarettes on display behind the counter, and seized them.

The report pack also stated that:

578 packets of cigarettes, 74 pouches of hand rolling tobacco and 242 illegal vapes were also allegedly discovered in a parked vehicle nearby. The owner of the vehicle was identified as a member of staff at the premises.

The premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor is Mrs Ilze Kadere, who also holds a personal licence issued by West Northamptonshire Council. The premises is licensed for the sale by retail of alcohol (off the premises only) from Monday to Sunday between 07:00 and 00:00.

The [Licensing Act 2003]1 requires the local authority to display a notice at or near the premises and on the council's website, allowing responsible authorities and interested parties a 28-day period to make representations regarding the review application. The council displayed the notice, but it was not displayed correctly, so the consultation period was restarted on 24 April 2025. During the consultation period, four relevant representations were received.

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider the following options:

  • Modifying the conditions of the licence.
  • Excluding a licensable activity from the licence.
  • Removing the designated premises supervisor.
  • Suspending the premises licence for a period not exceeding 3 months.
  • Revoking the licence.

The report pack included copies of the premises licence, the review application from Police Constable 575 Leanne Laren of Northamptonshire Police, and the representations received during the consultation period.

The representations included concerns raised by The Olde England Pub regarding the selling of illicit tobacco products, drug taking and street drinking, cars parking illegally and playing loud music, rubbish obstructing access to the rear of their premises, theft of electricity, and harassment of staff.

A local resident raised concerns about waste disposal, cars parking on double yellow lines, and the storage of cigarettes in untaxed vehicles. Another resident objected to the licence renewal, stating that the shop was not operating as a green grocer, there was an intimidating presence of people and staff outside, and the shop was known for trading in illegal cigarettes. A further resident raised concerns about potential illegal sales of goods and poor waste management.

A statement from Nicholas James Lenton, Trading Standards Manager at West Northamptonshire Council, detailed the inspection on 12 March 2025, during which illegal disposable electronic cigarettes were found on display, and a quantity of illegal tobacco products were found in a blue BMW parked on Hood Street.


  1. The Licensing Act 2003 is an Act of Parliament that regulates the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment, and the provision of late night refreshment in England and Wales. 

Attendees

James Chadwick
Ed Bostock
Richard Woods
Profile image for Councillor Adrian Cartwright
Councillor Adrian Cartwright  Reform UK •  Headlands
Profile image for CouncillorAndrew Kilbride
CouncillorAndrew Kilbride  Conservative •  Weston Favell and Abington Vale

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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