Licensing hours are extended at Burley-in-Wharfedale Co-op (From Wharfedale Observer)

Licensing hours are extended at Burley-in-Wharfedale Co-op

9:00am Saturday 9th February 2013 in News By Observer reporter

The go-ahead has been given for a convenience store in Burley-in-Wharfedale to extend the hours it can sell alcohol, despite objections from residents.

Members of Bradford Council’s Keighley and Shipley Area Licensing Panel this week gave The Co-operative, in Station Road, the green light to sell alcohol from 5am to 11pm, seven days a week, instead of its previous permitted hours of 8am to 11pm.

The application to vary the hours had attracted eight objections and followed the rejection of two planning applications to move out of its premises and share the library building with the addition of an extra floor.

Objections from villagers included an increase of noise and disturbance from early morning deliveries and staff closing the premises late at night.

Concerns have also been raised over a possible increase of anti-social behaviour and disturbance from youths congregating in the area due to the longer hours of trading.

In response, the Co-op has proposed a CCTV system at the shop, a proof-of-age scheme for alcohol sales and has offered to provide the telephone number of the chain’s contact centre on request.

At the licensing panel Ian Farmer, of Bradford Council’s environmental health depart-ment, highlighted complaints not directly related to the licensing meeting which were causing some residents in the village concern.

He mentioned the early morning deliveries of newspapers and concerns over an increase in trading hours causing further nuisances for nearby residents.

But representatives from the Co-op assured objectors that the store did not intend to use its full licensing hours up to 11pm and would remain closing at 9pm.

The group has applied for similar licenses for other stores in the Bradford district.

Panel chairman Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq suggested residents and Co-op bosses worked together to resolve the noise issues.