Morrisons gets 24-hour booze licence

The petrol station shop by the Bham City ground will serve alcohol round the clock.

Kate Knowles - Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 15th March 2023 8:20am

A Morrisons petrol station next to the Birmingham City football ground will serve booze 24-7 after the council confirmed an extension to its licence.

The station at 280 Coventry Road is attached to a larger Morrisons supermarket in the nearby St Andrew’s Shopping Park.

This store already has a round-the-clock licence to sell alcohol which will now be extended to cover the smaller shop by the petrol pumps.

The LDRS understands that the petrol station shop currently trades until 11pm six days a week, and 10pm on Sundays and does not want to immediately change these hours.

Instead, management intend to allow for flexibility during busier periods, such as the build up to Christmas.

One objection to the application was received from a resident who was concerned the plans would “increase anti-social behaviour, litter, and noise in the area”.

However, speaking at a Birmingham City Council licensing sub-committee meeting on Tuesday March 7, a solicitor argued against these concerns on Morrisons’ behalf.

A report reads: “The solicitor reminded the sub-committee that there was no evidence that the existing 24 hour licence at the main store had caused any difficulty whatsoever.

“Whilst the objector had concerns, those concerns were not shared by the police, or indeed any of the responsible authorities, who were the experts in terms of the promotion of the licensing objectives.

“The solicitor assured the sub-committee that ‘nothing was going to change in real terms.'”

“The members found the representations to be rather speculative, as they had not taken into account the applicant company's history of safe trading at the main store.

“The company had a proven track record of upholding the licensing objectives in Bordesley Green.

“The members noted that the local resident did not attend the meeting, and therefore the members did not have the opportunity to ask questions of that person.”

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