Hartlepool booze hatch refusal 'a victory for common sense'

Hadj's Mini Market wanted to sell booze 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Nouredin Hadj Kaddour, who runs Hadj's Mini Market in York Road, applied for a licence to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

He proposed that sales of alcohol between 11pm and 7am would be from a hatch in the door.

The licensee wanted to use a 'booze hatch' like this to service customers outside normal hours.

Six objections were raised to the plans, from Cleveland Police, solicitors Tilly Bailey and Irvine LLP, the council’s licensing manager and three residents, all raising concerns about crime, nuisance and public safety.

Hartlepool Borough Council licensing sub-committee ruled there was no reason to allow 24/7 alcohol sales - and Mail readers largely agreed.

Related: Hartlepool shop’s booze hatch bid refused as council refuse 24-hour alcohol licenceSeveral welcomed the decision on the Mail's Facebook page, including Trevor Craddy, who described it as "a victory for common sense".

Brian Flounders agreed, saying: "At least the council have got this one right."

Martin Noble commented: "If you’re having a party or know you’re going to need drink at daft o’clock, just stock up before?"

Lesley Gray asked: "Why would you sell alcohol between 11pm and 9am when most places don’t even sell food /medicines or emergency supplies between those hours? It doesn’t make sense."

Katrina Jane Hall added: "Good. At that stage of the night people have had enough anyway and mostly regret carrying on. If they plan on staying up drinking they can just buy it earlier."

There was the odd dissenting voice, such as Gemma Wilson Mckie, who wrote: "Well if you ask me the council are ruining this town! At the end of the day it is a business starting up in our town, and it could of been handled properly."

But June Gate suggested going even further: "Should close the pubs at that time too," and hers was a view which had some support.

Lesley Gray said: "I agree. It was much better when they closed at 11pm and everyone went out at the same time and came home at the same time, unless you went to the nightclub and it was 2am when you went home. There was a much better atmosphere."

Ray Fowler had an even more radical suggestion, in a bid to revive the licensed trade: "Take all the drinks licences off the corner shops, and give the pubs and clubs their trade back."

Hadj's Mini Market was granted a licence to sell alcohol from 9am until 10pm, instead of 24 hours a day as it had requested. The owner did not attend the hearing.