A corner shop faces losing its alcohol licence after police found it offering bulk-buy deals on crack pipes and stocking drug paraphernalia next to children’s sweets.
The owner of the Singhsbury’s store in Holloway will face Islington councillors tomorrow as they consider revoking its licence.
Police and trading standards officers found bottles of poppers branded as room odourisers, cannabis grinders shaped like women’s breasts and cans of untaxed beer. The council said it had the “lowest standards of management of any licensed premises in recent history”.
The shop in Seven Sisters Road came to police attention after local residents complained to the council about anti-social behaviour linked to it.
After a visit by police and trading standards officers last April, the Islington police licensing officer accused the shop of selling “smoking-related materials” near the tills and next to sweets, soft drinks and chocolate meant to appeal to children.
They said bongs and hookah pipes were being sold next to crisps, while self-assembly crack pipes were also offered with discounts for multiple purchases. There were small plastic bags on sale of a type commonly used by street dealers to hold cannabis. The owner, Taranjeet Singh Gulati, did not respond to demands to adhere to the licence conditions, according to police.
The council report said: “The licence holder has had six months to bring the premises into line but has shown a complete disregard … the licensing authority has no alternative but to recommend that the licence is revoked.”
There were also questions over an illegal “special treatment” business that operated from the back of the store, promoted as “Beauty Touch”, as well as fire safety concerns.
Surendra Panchal, a licensing consultant representing Singhsbury’s, said: “Mr Gulati is not selling anything illegal — whatever he is selling is bought from a cash and carry.” He said the shop no longer stocked drug paraphernalia alongside children’s sweets.
