Shop loses alcohol licence over street shots

Supercuts loses appeal to sell alcohol

Pic: Claire Shaw

A Brockley shop has lost its license to sell alcohol after police found it had encouraged anti-social behaviour which resulted in a shooting at an unauthorised Royal Wedding party.

Supercuts off-licence on Upper Brockley Road had its appeal revoked at the Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

CCTV footage was presented showing large groups of people loitering outside and Supercuts serving drinks to residents in plastic cups to drink on the street.

The decision, however, has outraged some local residents. David Soul, 41, said: “It is my favourite shop, I’m outraged. The owners can only cater for what happens in the shop. It is not their right to tell others to move on outside. We can’t stop them if they want to drink. It is really unfair.”

Clive Lee, 43, who jointly runs the Honey Pot take-away on Upper Brockley Road said he thinks what has happened is “gross injustice” and states it is down to the police to control the area and enforce the no drinking zone rule which applies in the area.

He said: “Police keep talking about anti-social behaviour with people drinking, but people will now just go to Tesco’s or another shop.

“It’s the job of the police to stop people drinking on the street. How is it going to make a difference if the other shop down the road sells alcohol?

“I speak for everyone in this community – we are not happy.”

Lewisham Council’s Licensing Committee revoked Supercuts licence in July on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder, following allegations of a shot being fired at an unauthorised Royal Wedding party in April. The event attracted around 600 people outside the shop premises.

The owner of Supercuts appealed against this decision in September, claiming they did not organise the party.

Marcia Johnson, 40, shop assistant and wife of the owner of Supercuts, said: “Everyone is really upset. It’s not fair. Alcohol is the most sold item in the shop. We are not responsible for what happens outside.

“People are still going to drink outside in the summertime. Now they’re just going to buy their alcohol at the end of the street or go to Tesco’s and not support local businesses.

“There will always be a gathering – this is how we black people celebrate life. We don’t sit in the pub, we stand outside and sit on the wall, have a drink and a laugh.”

Darren Johnson, Brockley Ward Councillor for the Green Party, gave evidence at the appeal on Tuesday and said he was pleased with the court’s decision to revoke Supercuts licence.

He said: “For many years residents have complained about anti-social behaviour outside this off-licence. I have probably had more complaints about the problems here than any other issue in the nine years I have been a councillor.

“It is not just that groups have been hanging outside, but that this has been accompanied by noise, very loud music from cars parked outside, urinating in the street and front gardens and abuse to local residents passing by.

“While responsible off licence proprietors would take steps to try and tackle such nuisance outside their premises Supercuts appear to have gone out of their way to encourage it, serving resident’s alcohol in plastic cups to drink outside.

“The premises has operated more like a badly-run pub than a well-run off licence.  Brockley is better off without it.”

Despite the frustration of a number of local residents over the court’s decision, comments made on the Brockley Central blog show some people are pleased with the result.

Brockley B, posting on the site, said: “A big thanks is due to Darren Johnson and also to Dean Walton (previous councillor) for their steadfast support over the years. People have put up with drunkenness, fighting, shouting, swearing and intimidation for too long, hopefully this will bring some semblance of normality back to the area.”

 

2 Comments

  1. Delores November 18, 2011
  2. dave December 1, 2011

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