Shop loses licence over illegal staff and breaches

An off-licence has been banned from selling alcohol for a string of licence breaches including employing illegal workers, offering illicit tobacco products and selling booze to youngsters.

The decision against Golden Off-Licence on Abbeydale Road in Sheffield was made on Tuesday by the council's licensing sub-committee.

Evidence from immigration services, police, council licensing and child safeguarding officers was presented to the hearing.

Hendrin Azar, the premises license holder and designated premises supervisor, did not attend the hearing at the city's town hall.

The application to revoke the licence was made by Home Office immigration enforcement officers.

In June last year, their checks discovered a man, who initially denied being employed at the store, working illegally for £40 a week.

A second man was found working illegally the following month. He told officers he was paid £5 per hour.

Searches of the site uncovered cigarettes with no UK duty paid on them, plus two pouches of illegal rolling tobacco and illegal vapes.

Mr Azar was fined £45,000, but an immigration officer could not confirm to the committee if the sum had been paid.

The meeting also heard a 15-year-old had been able to buy alcohol and vapes without being challenged about his age.

Mr Azar denied selling to anyone under-age when asked by licensing officers. They later discovered the shop was breaking 16 conditions of its alcohol license.

Trading Standards said a test purchase in December resulted in them being able to buy a packed of cigarettes for £7 when they should have cost between £12-£14.

A subsequent search of the store found 480 illegal packs of cigarettes, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Despite an offer of help, including free training, to comply with licensing conditions the issues had not been resolved, the hearing was told.

In announcing its decision to revoke the licence, councillor Abdul Khayum said: "Between us, we have expressed serious concerns about everything else that is going on there, particularly the employment of illegal workers."

"We hope that further actions could be taken along those lines on that issue," he added.

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