Customs are clamping down on the sale of illegal alcohol with four Kensington newsagents receiving booze bans this week.
Customs are clamping down on the sale of illegal alcohol with four shady Kensington newsagents receiving booze bans this week.
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) raided the shops on North End Road, West Kensington, earlier this year.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee met on November 7 and 14 and revoked the newsagents’ alcohol licenses on the grounds of crime and disorder.
Committee chairwoman Victoria Brocklebank-Fowler said: “I am absolutely appalled that these four newsagents thought that they could get away with their actions.”
In April HMRC seized £22,000 of duty unpaid alcohol in Bowman’s News, including 257 litres of vodka and similar quantities of whiskey and wine.
The also discovered 67.5kg of duty unpaid tobacco and 8,200 illegal cigarettes.
Officers swooped after an undercover 14-year-old boy was sold two cans of Kronenbourg beer, despite being four years under the legal age to purchase alcohol.
Two neighbouring outlets of North End Supermarket along with Your Best One were also raided and hit with bans.
Cllr Brocklebank-Fowler added: “We have a duty to protect our residents from crime and disorder caused by the actions or omissions of unscrupulous shop owners.”
License holders of the four premises can appeal up to three weeks after the sentencing date, and continue trading until an outcome is decided.
If no appeal is lodged, the premises must stop selling alcohol the day after the appeal-period ends.
