More than 100 residents signed petition calling for store’s alcohol licence to be reinstated

A licensing committee was shown a petition signed by customers of Hendal Lane Store, in Kettlethorpe, supporting the business owners’ application.

A hearing took place after two people objected to the request made to Wakefield Council by Mohammed Ziarat and Paul Adegbemisoye.

Claims were made that children had been able to buy alcohol at the convenience store and that illegal tobacco products had been on sale.

Councillors approved the application after hearing reassurances from Mr Ziaret and Mr Adegbemisoye.

The committee was told police and West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers had inspected the premises, found no evidence of illegal activity and neither authority objected to the application.

The two men told the committee how they had taken over the business in September last year but did not sell alcohol during the first six months of trading.

They said they began selling alcohol in March this year at the request of customers.

They said the store had previously served the community for around 20 years under previous owners and alcohol had been sold.

Mr Ziarat said: “We were under the impression that the licence would continue. We had been told that it would by the landlord.

“There was a huge demand from people who wanted us to sell alcohol.

“Everyone said ‘if you do not sell alcohol we are not coming to your shop.'”

Police visited the store in July this year when it was realised that a licence was not in place.

Checks revealed the previous owners had cancelled the permit with the local authority in May 2024 when they ceased trading.

Mr Ziarat said alcohol was immediately removed from sale until the outcome of a fresh application.

Mr Adegbemisoye said: “We had a petition signed by local people. They want us to have a licence.

“When the police came they checked the store and behind the counter. There were no illegal cigarettes at all.”

One objector claimed tobacco had been sold cheaply at the store.

They claimed to have witnessed a customer being charged £15 for 50g of tobacco.

Responding to the claim, Mr Ziarat said: “Sometimes a customer will pay half in cash and half on a card. That may have led to their misunderstanding.

“We have just tried to be law-abiding people and do our best to run a business.

“When we took over the shop it was absolutely run down. It took us three months to do a restoration.”

Councillors were also shown evidence that proof of age procedures were in place and the premises were covered by CCTV cameras.

Referring to the licence discrepancy, committee member Olivia Rowley asked: “So you are saying that basically there has been a cock-up?”

Mr Adegbemisoye replied: “This is the first time we have been running a shop. We had no idea. As soon we realised I applied for a licence and everything.”

The licensing panel granted permission for alcohol to be sold for consumption off the premises between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 8pm on Sunday.

Paul Jaques, senior legal advisor for the council, said: “The applicants have attended and explained details of the application and the reasons behind the previous licence having been surrendered.

“Regrettably, they had made a mistake and had not realised that when alcohol was made for sale in March 2025 that the licence was not in force.

“Upon notification by the authorities, alcohol was removed from sale pending a new application.

“The applicants have explained the mistake with the previous premises licence and have engaged with both the police and trading standards.

“The committee is satisfied that the applicants have sufficiently addressed any potential issues and any likely affect on the licensing objectives.”