The Alcohol & Gambling Licensing Sub-Committee were scheduled to convene a meeting to discuss a premises licence review application for Prahova, a shop located at 5 Campbell Street, Northampton. The review was requested by Northamptonshire Police, citing concerns over the prevention of crime and disorder. Councillors were to consider the application and determine what steps, if any, to take.

Prahova Premises Licence Review

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application by Northamptonshire Police for a review of the premises licence for Prahova, located at 5 Campbell Street, Northampton. The application for review was submitted by Police Constable Leanne Laren of Northamptonshire Police.

The review was requested on the grounds of failure to promote the licensing objective of the prevention of crime and disorder. According to the Prahova Review Report, the application related to two inspections carried out at the premises by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Trading Standards and Northamptonshire Police officers.

The first visit took place on 28 March 2025, when a WNC authorised investigator asked a member of staff for cheap tobacco and was sold a pouch of Amber Leaf tobacco for £6. A subsequent visit was made on 29 April 2025, when a staff member was asked for 40 Lambert & Butler cigarettes, left the premises, and returned with the cigarettes, selling them for £10 with £3 change given.

Later that day, Trading Standards officers and Police officers searched the premises and seized a quantity of allegedly illegal tobacco, including:

• 485 packets of cigarettes
• 25 pouches of hand rolling tobacco
• 86 disposable vapes

Additionally, 260 packets of 20 cigarettes were found in a Volkswagen motor vehicle parked in St Georges Street, the key for which was located inside the premises.

According to the Statement of Witness provided by Darran Abraham, Investigator, the tobacco products seized were not legal to be sold because they did not comply with the requirements of the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016¹ and/or the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations 2015². It was suspected that some of the products were counterfeit copies of legitimate products, bearing infringing copies of registered trademarks. The disposable vaping devices were also illegal because they contained in excess of two millilitres of nicotine containing liquid, contrary to the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

The current premises licence holder and designated premises supervisor is Mohammed Amin, who also holds a personal licence. The premises is licensed for the regulated activity of the sale by retail of alcohol (off the premises only) Monday to Sunday 07:00 to 00:00.

The Review Application submitted by Police Constable Leanne Laren stated that:

Northamptonshire Police would ask the committee to consider in the first instance the revocation of the premises license for Prahova, 5 Campbell Street, Northampton, NN1 3DS. The premise is not adhering with the Licensing objectives under Crime and Disorder and has previously been subject of a review for similar circumstances.

The sub-committee was reminded of its powers under the Licensing Act 2003³, which include the ability to modify the conditions of the licence, exclude a licensable activity from the licence, remove the designated premises supervisor, suspend the premises licence for a period not exceeding 3 months, or revoke the licence.