New owners for Wallsend shop plagued by historic ‘serious criminal behaviours’

By Austen Shakespeare, Local Democracy Reporter

A Wallsend shop subject to four separate illicit tobacco seizures is under new management complete with a renewed alcohol licence.

41-43 High Street East, formally Booze Master Food Centre and European Food Market, is set to return, with a premises licence, after new management stepped in. The shop has historically been mired with multiple illicit tobacco seizures, “non-complaint” e-cigarettes, and “unauthorised” prescription drugs found on the premises.

Between February 2022 and February 2023, there were four illegal tobacco seizures at the premises. In addition, Trading Standards agents purchased packets of illicit cigarettes in April 2022 and March 2023.

The shop was given a three-month closure order in March 2023 but a later attempt to extend the order was unsuccessful. However, following further tobacco seizures in December last year another closure order was issued until March 2024.

Regarding the new application for a premises licence, Trading Standards acknowledged historic problems at this location but have offered to work closely with the new operator to prevent similar problems.

According to Trading Standards’ report: “Trading Standards is aware that the recent history at the applicant location has shown persistent serious criminal behaviours that would undermine the licensing objectives of crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm.

“However, the applicant has not been involved in this recent past behaviour, and was receptive to Trading Standards support and modified his behaviour at his behaviour at his business concern.”

Northumbria Police also made representations to North Tyneside Council’s licencing sub-committee. They even suggested some of the conditions on the new application, brought by Mr Satish Boyapti, should be removed as they were not proportionate for the new business.

Neil Kirkpatrick, licencing coordinator at Northumbria Police, told the sub-committee that Mr Boyapti’s new business venture should not start “on a back foot”. Such conditions included the prohibiting of “super strength” 5.5% or above beers, lagers, ciders, or spirit mixers, outside of glass bottles or selling more than one litre containers of wine.

North Tyneside Council granted Mr Boyapti a permit to sell alcohol for consumption off the site between 9 am and 11 pm every day and waived the additional conditions mentioned above.

(Local Democracy Reporting Service)