The Licensing Sub-Committee for Boston Borough Council convened a meeting to consider a premises licence application and to discuss the exclusion of the public and press from the hearing. The primary focus was an application for a new premises licence for Jaffna Ltd, trading as Premier Pilgrim's Convenience, located at 3-4 Market Place, Boston. This was prompted by a relevant representation received by Lincolnshire Police.

3-4 Market Place, Boston Licensing Application

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application for a premises licence submitted by Jaffna Ltd for a retail unit at 3-4 Market Place. The application requests permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between the hours of 08:00 and 23:00, Monday to Sunday.

In the application form, Jaffna Ltd stated that they would take the following steps to promote the licensing objectives:

• Installing CCTV cameras, with recordings stored for a minimum of 31 days and made available to authorities upon request.
• Providing staff with refresher training and conflict management training.
• Maintaining an incident logbook.
• Implementing a strict refusal policy for anyone intoxicated, aggressive, or underage.
• Liaising with local authorities, community enforcement, and the local police.
• Maintaining shop cleanliness and placing wet floor signs when floors are mopped.
• Carrying out risk assessments, including fire safety assessments.
• Ensuring clear lighting for entrances and exits.
• Providing accessible and dated first aid kits.
• Keeping bin areas clear of litter.
• Avoiding single sales of beers, lagers, or ciders.
• Not stocking beers or lagers above 6.5% ABV¹.
• Displaying prominent signage and customer awareness notices.
• Training staff about Challenge 25², requesting ID from anyone appearing to be under 25.
• Displaying prominent signage stating that it is illegal to sell alcohol to individuals under 18 and that proof of ID is required.
• Training staff to be alert to unaccompanied children loitering and taking necessary action if this occurs.

Lincolnshire Police Representation

Lincolnshire Police, acting as a responsible authority, submitted a representation raising concerns about the application. Their concerns included:

• The premises' location within a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) area where alcohol-related crime and antisocial behaviour are prevalent.
• Doubts regarding the applicant's understanding of the licensing regime and their responsibilities in running a licensed premises within the PSPO.
• An incident on 11 July 2025, where Lincolnshire Police assisted Trading Standards with a test purchasing operation at the premises, during which a member of staff sold a vape to a minor.

The police representation included statements from Inspector Cotton, Neighbourhood Policing Inspector for Boston, and Peter Hunn, Community Safety Manager for Boston Borough Council. Lincolnshire Police requested that the sub-committee refuse the grant of the premises licence.

Considerations for the Sub-Committee

The report pack outlined several options available to the sub-committee, including:

• Granting the licence, subject to mandatory conditions and conditions in the operating schedule.
• Granting the licence with modified conditions.
• Excluding any of the licensable activities from the scope of the licence.
• Refusing to specify a person in the licence as the premises supervisor.
• Rejecting the application.

The report pack also advised the sub-committee to give appropriate weight to Boston Borough Council's Statement of Licensing Policy and the statutory guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003.

History of the Site

The sub-committee was informed that a previous application for 3-4 Market Place had been determined in January 2025. The application was refused because the committee felt that there were not any conditions that could be imposed to appropriately address the issues of crime and disorder and public nuisance in the locality.

Exclusion of Public and Press

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider a resolution to exclude the public and press from the hearing. The grounds for this exclusion were Regulation 14 of the Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005 and Section 100(A)(iv) of the Local Government Act 1972, involving the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended).