A convenience store in Solihull has narrowly avoided being shut down after a licensing review triggered by the sale of an illegal vape to a child and the discovery of counterfeit viral toys.
Licence review triggered by serious breaches
Paul’s Convenience Store on Rathlin Croft in Smith's Wood faced a formal review of its licence in November. The application was submitted by Solihull Council's trading standards and environment manager, Richard Staveley, on the grounds of protecting children from harm and preventing crime and disorder.
A council report detailed a series of failings. In May 2025, the premises was given guidance on the impending national ban on single-use vapes. However, on 16 July 2025, an illegal single-use vape was sold to an underage person during a test purchase operation by trading standards officers.
Counterfeit dolls seized in follow-up raid
Just one week later, on 23 July 2025, officers conducted a follow-up inspection. While no disposable vapes were found, they discovered and seized 44 counterfeit 'Labubu' dolls. The council report stated these toys unlawfully used the Coca-Cola and Pop Mart trademarks. The business had purchased them for £3 each and was offering them for retail sale at £8.
Investigations into potential criminal offences related to the counterfeit goods are still ongoing. Labubu dolls, produced by Chinese manufacturer Pop Mart, became a viral sensation in 2025. Criminals have capitalised on their popularity, with fakes accounting for 90 per cent of counterfeit toys seized in the UK last year, according to the Intellectual Property Office.
Police and health officials raise concerns
West Midlands Police fully supported the licence review. Officer Luke Prescott referenced unsubstantiated intelligence that the shop sold cigarettes and vapes to school pupils in uniform without asking for ID. He also noted an incident on 3 November 2025, where a staff member and a council licensing officer had to lock themselves inside the shop due to youths trying to kick the doors in.
"It is hard to ignore the fact that irresponsible trading will attract crime and anti-social behaviour in the immediate area," Prescott wrote. Ruth Tennant, the council's director of public health, also backed Trading Standards, highlighting that principles for preventing the sale of one age-restricted product, like vapes, are linked to others, such as alcohol.
Panel decides store can remain open
Solihull Council's licensing act panel met on 7 January 2026 to consider the case. A council spokesperson later confirmed that the panel was satisfied the failings identified by officers had been addressed. The premises licence conditions have been updated to prevent any further breaches of licensing objectives, allowing the store to continue trading.
