Shop owner to appeal super-strength ban

A shopkeeper in Derby has said that he will appeal the local council’s decision to ban him from selling super strength beer and cider.

Satnam Chaira, owner of Friargate News in Derby, has been banned from selling any beer, lager or cider with a higher abv than 5.9% after the local police said some of his customers were causing problems with street drinking.

Derby City Council’s general licensing sub-committee also ruled that Chaira must only sell cans or bottles of beer, lager and cider in packs of four or more.

Chaira now has 21 days to register an appeal with magistrates and he told the Derby Telegraph that he was “100% certain he would appeal.”

He told the newspaper: “They are taking business away from me and passing it on to someone else.

“It’s like slapping me in the face.

“I’ve never broken the law or the terms of my licence, so why have I been left with half a licence?

“People have come into my shop and told me they don’t understand it, because drunks have been a problem in the city centre for years.

“It’s not like they are there because I have a licence or anybody else has a licence.”

In its report to the sub-committee the local police force said that witnesses reported that street drinkers were being loud and abusive to people and were approaching them asking for money to buy more alcohol.

Superintendent Gary Parkin said: “It is the view of the police that Mr Chaira is well aware of those customers who are repeatedly entering his store and purchasing single cans of high-strength alcohol.”