Former Town Centre Furniture Store To Become Off-Licence

A former town centre furniture store on the Isle of Wight will begin a new chapter as a ‘modern convenience store’ operating as an off-licence, despite objections.

County councillors on a licensing sub-committee on Monday (August 24) decided to grant applicant Jonathan Croos a premises licence for Richwoods at 48 Melville Street in Ryde, subject to conditions.

Mr Croos’s application sought permission for the sale of alcohol from Monday to Sunday between 7am and 10pm, according to a council report.

It comes after the Isle of Wight Council received 28 relevant representations opposing the application, with one in support.

Reasons for the decision are according to those given in the report – to promote licensing objectives, as well as being in line with County Hall’s statement of licensing policy and statutory guidance, the local authority’s principal lawyer, Ben Gard, said.

Licensing objectives include the prevention of public nuisance, crime and disorder, public safety and protection of children from harm.

The council’s report said:

“The sub-committee may attach weight to the fact that the responsible authorities with expertise in public nuisance and crime and disorder matters, namely Environmental Health and the Police Authority, are satisfied that the revised operating schedule and agreed conditions are sufficient to promote the licensing objectives.”

Agreed conditions include prominent signage being displayed at all exits from the premises requesting customers leave quietly, a responsible staff member carrying out ‘proactive litter patrols’ outside the site as ‘frequently as necessary’ and not less than once per trading day, and installing a maintained CCTV system to be operated at all public opening times.

Cllr Alex Lewington, representing Ryde Town Council, said: “The prevention of nuisance was and remains my main but not only area of concern. Namely, the problem of noise and light pollution where none has hitherto existed.”

He said CCTV has ‘never been effective’ in preventing ‘certain misdemeanours’.

Quoting from the UK College of Policing, he added:

“There is evidence that CCTV reduces crime overall…there was no evidence of an effect on violent crime and disorder.”

A representative for Mr Croos told the sub-committee none of the responsible authorities made a representation against the application.

“This premises licence, if you grant it, is going to be very well regulated – has all the standard conditions you would expect to see on any off-licence, with CCTV, Challenge 25, staff training, refusal books etc.,” he continued.

“But also, Mr Coos has gone that extra mile agreeing conditions about alarming the premises, litter, etc.”