Manchester shop taking over former Poundstretcher store wins alcohol licence

A supermarket in north Manchester, which is taking over the former Poundstretcher store in Cheetham Hill, has been given an alcohol licence.

Krakow Supermarket had hoped to sell alcohol from 7am until midnight Monday to Saturday. At a hearing on Tuesday, Manchester council licensing bosses instead granted a licence restricting alcohol sales to 8am to 11pm – an hour earlier than what had been applied for.

A group of people living near the premises on Old Bury Road had urged the council’s licensing subcommittee not to approve the original licence.

Residents said antisocial behaviour was ‘already evident’ in the area, referencing a machete attack on Bury Old Road in August which left a man with life-changing injuries.

It was also claimed that locals were afraid to walk home alone out of fear of being harassed by ‘people begging’ and others under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Concerns were also raised about the potential for litter problems to be exacerbated, though the supermarket has said that trade waste will be collected on a regular basis.

A joint letter by the group of residents said: “I strongly believe all the above will only get worse as conditions in the locality are already past breaking point.

“I am concerned that due to the sale of alcohol, it will have a significant impact on the crime and drug crisis in the community.”

Greater Manchester Police withdrew their own objection after Super Sklep Ltd, the company which owns Krakow Supermarket, agreed to a raft of new conditions for the licence.

The supermarket will have to keep an incident log of crimes, incidents of disorder and refusals of alcohol for at least a year.

Management and staff will also be required to discourage customers congregating outside the shop, while no single cans of alcohol will be allowed to be sold after 9pm.

A neighbourhood compliance officer had also originally raised concerns about the supermarket’s original plan to sell alcohol from 7am.

“The request may attract persons to the premise for example those who are alcohol dependent who could become more vulnerable,” the officer said.

In their submissions a representative for Super Sklep Ltd said they ‘shared some sympathy with residents’ regarding antisocial behaviour but said the issues should be considered to be outside the responsibility of the supermarket.

The statement added: “My client has heavily invested in an empty unit and done everything possible to appease any local concerns.

“The shop is to be a lifestyle convenience store with good management. It is independently run to offer a wide range of mainly European food and drink to encourage people to shop locally.”