Retailer offers to clean worried resident’s garden

By Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy Reporter

A new off-licence has been given the green light by Southampton City Council, with the owner offering to tidy an objecting resident’s can-filled garden himself.

The ‘promise’ was made in the city council’s licensing meeting on 16 November.

Sam Store in Portswood has been opened under a new block of flats on Portswood Road and received over 30 objections.

These included increasing fears of anti-social behaviour and also adding towards ‘drunken hate crimes’ due to its close proximity to the Bashir Ahmed mosque.

For one worried resident, Michael Hodder, concerns revolved around his front garden and the empty cans it is littered with.

Mr Hodder attended the licensing meeting to raise his objection.

He said: “What about all the empty cans, drinks and bottles that (are) laying all over the street and laying in my garden?

“I live across the road from (the shop) and when I get up in the morning over a weekend there (are) four or five, maybe 10, bottles and there (are) some out on the wall.

“They chuck them into my garden.”

Sam Store is yet to start selling alcohol.

Mr Hodder was alerted to this and that the cans must be coming from ‘other premises’ – but said that if the shop does start selling alcohol it will ‘make it worse’.

Shorish Mustafa, the owner of the new off licence confirmed that he will try to mitigate potential litter by having a bin.

He said: “If already people are throwing bottles or cans into your garden it’s something to do with other premises.

“I can’t guarantee if someone buys a drink (they won’t) throw it into your garden.

“If you want me to come and ask me – I’ll clean for you, I promise.”

The council granted approval for the licence and the shop will be able to sell alcohol between 8am and 11pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 11pm on Sunday.

(Local Democracy Reporting Service)