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Shop closed by police after repeatedly flouting rules

A local convenience store that stocked illegal products and repeatedly sold restricted goods to children has been closed.

Nottinghamshire Police, supported by Ashfield District Council, issued a closure order to the Buy and Save store in Stanton Hill on earlier this month.

The order, issued under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act and confirmed by Mansfield Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Thursday), will force the closure of the shop for a minimum period of three months and will also trigger a mandatory licencing review.

Nottinghamshire Police has received multiple complaints about the store and has worked in partnership with Ashfield District Council and Nottinghamshire Trading Standards in order to take action.

Complaints have included the repeated sale of cigarettes, alcohol and vaping products to under-age customers, and the repeated sale of illegal vaping products.

The store also sold a large kitchen knife to a child during a test police purchase and was also found to have two machetes behind the counter – items the store claimed were for protection.

A large quantity of cannabis-infused sweets were also found behind the counter during a police visit.

Multiple complaints were also filed by residents about antisocial behaviour linked to the store – from the reckless use of fireworks outside to aggressive driving and littering.

Inspector John Hewitt, district commander for Ashfield, said: “Thanks to its continued and reckless disregard for the law this business has sadly become a magnet for antisocial behaviour.

“We have received regular complaints about this venue and have worked in partnership with colleagues at the local council and Trading Standards to take this decisive action.

“Licencing laws and other retail restrictions are there for a reason and we simply won’t tolerate people who repeatedly choose to flout them.

“This business has received multiple warnings and has failed to make the changes demanded of it. I hope the decisive action we have now taken will serve as a warning to others about the consequences of such behaviour.”

Robert Docherty, Director of Place and Communities said: “Our Environmental Health team work with colleagues in Trading Standards and Nottinghamshire Police to ensure premises in the district of Ashfield do not contribute towards a risk to public health. Putting public health and safety first is our priority. A number of health and safety offences and food hygiene concerns were also noted and officers will be ensuring these are addressed if the store re-opens. Ashfield District Council officers continue to work in partnership with the police, trading standards and other agencies to ensure the safety of all our residents.”

Councillor John Cottee, Cabinet Member for Communities at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “The sale of age restricted products to children and illegal vaping products not only harms honest local businesses, but it also affects our local communities through associated health risks and anti-social behaviour.

Nottinghamshire County Council Trading Standards will continue to work closely with partner agencies to support businesses to trade legally and safely and where necessary take action to tackle illegal trading.  The Closure Order in this case sends a message to unscrupulous traders that illegal trading will not be tolerated.”

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