A convenience store owner has been granted permission to turn his shop into an off-licence after residents who objected admitted they were making a “very weak case”.
Imran Khan, who runs Clifton Mini Mart in Cotham Hill with his wife, won consent to vary his premises licence to change the layout, sell alcohol between 9am and 11pm daily and shorten its opening times to match.
His application received four objections, including from ward councillor Carla Denyer and Hampton Park and Cotham Hill Community Group chairman Jill White.
But at a meeting of Bristol City Council’s licensing sub-committee, Dr White’s opposition all but vanished as she conceded neighbours’ grievances were actually with licensing laws in general rather than Mr Khan’s request to display alcohol on the shop floor, which had been prohibited.
She called him a “good man” and praised him for investing tens of thousands of pounds transforming what was previously an “absolutely dreadful shop” before he took it over in 2017.
The store, now named Clifton Off Licence, is inside Whiteladies Road cumulative impact area, which restricts any further late-night bars, restaurants and takeaways to prevent nuisance to residents.
But the panel ruled Mr Khan’s application did not trigger the policy.
Dr White, who lives around the corner from the shop, told the meeting on May 30: “There is nothing in this complaint about Mr Khan.
“He has spent a lot of money on making what was an absolutely dreadful shop clean and tidy.
“It’s just the alcohol part of the application because residents have enough of that in the area.
“It is a very weak case I’m making but it’s very worrying because these licence extensions can come back another time.
“There are a lot of young people with children who get disturbed when the revellers come by.
“It’s not My Khan’s fault. I wish him well and to continue what he’s doing.”
Mr Khan’s solicitor Ewen Macgregor said: “It is important that residents feel they can be involved in this process but you’ve got to pick your battles and I’m not sure that this was the right one.”
He said it was significant that neither the police nor the licensing authority had objected.
Mr Khan said he had spent more than £25,000 on refurbishment, including a new floor and ceiling, and that when he took over the shop it was “in a terrible state" with "rats all over the place”.
He has also installed CCTV and pledged not to sell strong cider.
