Back in business, back to illegal sales: Gloucester store shut down again

A multi-agency operation has led to the closure of a shop in Gloucester which was found selling illegal tobacco.

Too Late Mini Market, in Barton Street, has been issued with a three-month closure order following a case brought before Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.

This means the shop cannot trade for a period of three months and will not be able to reopen until 5 June.

It follows an operation involving Gloucestershire Trading Standards, Gloucestershire Constabulary, including Vanguard Team and Barton neighbourhood policing team, and Gloucester Solace, a multi-agency team of Gloucestershire councils, police and police community support officers working to prevent anti-social behaviour.

Gloucestershire County Council said the shop has been under investigation by Trading Standards for many months and was previously closed following a police closure order in October 2024, which expired on 9 January 2025.

Despite being closed for three months, the shop quickly returned to its old ways selling illegal tobacco. Trading Standards carried out test purchase operations on several occasions throughout February when illegal tobacco was obtained.

An inspection of the premises on 4 February resulted in the seizure of £500 worth of illegal tobacco and a small quantity of illegal vapes. Trading standards officers were also called to the shop on 19 February by police who had discovered illegal tobacco at the premises and as a result Trading Standards seized £1,945 worth of illegal tobacco.

Police served the closure notice on the premises on 4 March, when further illegal tobacco was found.

“Trading standards officers regularly work with police and district councils to enforce legislation to protect the public and it is great to see this collaborative work bringing results such as this. I hope to see this collaboration continue to target illegal businesses which try to operate to the detriment of the public,” Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member for trading standards at Gloucestershire County Council, said.

“No one benefits from shops selling illegal tobacco and vape products and we will take robust action to stop them trading.”

A Gloucestershire Constabulary spokesperson said: “We hope this sends a clear message that this type of criminality will not be tolerated and provides confidence to the community that we are listening to them. We would encourage members of the public to continue to report any suspicions they have about possible illegal activity so that we can take the appropriate action.”

The council said the Trading Standards will now liaise with the landlord of the shop to ensure the property is let to a tenant who will use the shop for lawful purposes.