By: Nic Marko, Local Democracy Reporter
A licensing bid has been lodged to open a new convenience store at a Hartlepool shopping parade.
An application has been submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council for the currently empty property at 394 Catcote Road which forms part of the Fens Shopping Centre.
The licensing proposal seeks to allow a new convenience store to open and sell alcohol between 6am and midnight each day.
Submitted by Pahitharan Sribalarasa, the application states they are “well experienced locally in licensed retail” and the store will be named The Fens Local.
It adds: “This will be a great addition and benefits the local customers with choice and cost. The store will be fitted to high standards.”
It also notes the store will join a retail group “to offer choice of products for customers”.
The premises was last used as a phone shop named PhoneBox and is located between Fens Hardware and Roy Blyth Family Butchers, along the same stretch of the parade which is also home to a Greggs.
The application adds numerous steps would be taken to ensure they comply with the four licensing objectives of public safety, protecting children from harm and the prevention of public nuisance and crime and disorder.
Measures would include a comprehensive CCTV system, a Challenge 25 policy, keeping a refusal record and ensuring all alcohol deliveries are undertaken by people over 18 and in locations not visible to customers.
A staff training scheme will also be in place for all new employees and those dealing with alcohol covering underage sales, handling any incidents, preventing crime and disorder and spotting and preventing proxy sales.
(Local Democracy Reporting Service)
