A SHOPKEEPER has been refused a licence to sell alcohol after a town hall committee found he had misled them.

Atif Sohail Khan applied to Bolton Council’s licensing committee for permission to sell drink at Tabee Local, in Booth Road, Little Lever.

But members of the licensing committee felt Mr Khan had not been honest with them about his connections with the former owner of the shop.

Cllr Madeline Murray, chairman of the panel, told the meeting: “The application for a premises licence has been refused on the grounds the committee is not confident the applicant would promote any of the four licensing objectives.

“We felt he had misled the committee on staffing arrangements at the premises and not confident the culture previously associated with the premises could be adequately address and resolved.”

The shop had been a magnet for anti-social behaviour between 2015 and Mr Khan taking ownership of the shop in September 2017. Residents complained of youths smoking and drinking, as well as vandalism, threats and verbal abuse.

The former owner’s licence was surrendered in September 2015, but alcohol was seized from the premises in 2017 during a council “compliance visit”.

But Mr Khan did not buy the shop until later that year, and agent, Rick Eckersley, said he wished his application to be considered on its own merits.

He added that he would have strict policy ensuring staff would be trained to operate a new CCTV system and challenge anyone attempting to buy alcohol who appeared to be under-25. Mr Khan also said he would fully comply with the council and police.

But his claim he had no association with the previous licence holder unravelled after objector Angela Walker told the committee the current store manager had been working there for the last three years, and was also living above the premises.

Mr Khan then admitted that the member of staff, whom he described as “a friend of a friend” was working for him.

Ms Walker told the committee that there had been a “huge spike” in anti-social behaviour between 2015 and when the shop stopped selling alcohol from September 2017.

She said: “The common denominator is that when the shop stopped selling alcohol the anti-social behaviour disappeared completely”

“I spoke to the guy who lives above the shop but he didn’t want to challenge the youths as he felt frightened himself. And he didn’t want to contact the police because he was afraid of repercussions.”

Ward councillor Sean Hornby, who was at the meeting as an observer, also welcomed the decision.

He said: “I think the licensing committee has made the right decision. Clearly the applicant had misled and lied to the committee. Clearly there is a connection with a previous licence holder.”