West Bromwich Shop Loses Licence After Series of Illegal Sales
A West Bromwich convenience store has been forced to close after a licensing hearing revealed a catalogue of illegal activities, including selling alcohol to a child. John's Booze on Jowetts Lane had its premises licence revoked by Sandwell Council following multiple investigations that uncovered a range of prohibited goods on the premises.
A History of Compliance Failures
West Midlands Police told the hearing on November 10 that the shop had a "notorious track record" dating back to 2012, with complaints about sales to children. Despite a previous warning, the shop continued to trade in illicit items. Searches conducted by authorities revealed an alarming inventory of illegal products.
During inspections, trading standards officers discovered:
- Hundreds of packets of incorrectly labelled cigarettes
- Over 80 prohibited oversized vapes
- Nearly 800 banned cool lip pouches of chewing tobacco
- Nearly 100 sachets of illicit erectile dysfunction tablets (gel sildenafil)
- Two samurai swords and two machetes
The shop's licence holder, Samanpreet Singh Bagri, was unable to produce CCTV footage when requested and had changed the shop's layout without permission. In a significant development on the morning of the hearing, a request was made to transfer the licence to family friend Harbir Sandhu.
Last-Minute Licence Transfer Attempt Fails
Mr Sandhu, who attended the hearing and has held a personal licence since 2010, vowed to "change it around completely and have a fresh start." He told councillors he would "work 110%" and be "extra vigilant and extra careful" to address the problems.
However, West Midlands Police expressed concern that the last-minute licence transfer was a "normal tactic" used by shops caught breaking the law. The force stated it had "no faith or confidence" in the business being turned around given its extensive history of non-compliance.
Councillor Jennifer Hemingway described the shop's reputation as "appalling" and questioned how Mr Sandhu could overcome such significant challenges. When asked how he would address the issues, Mr Sandhu responded: "It's like anything, you have to get rid of the riff-raff. Word would soon spread that you can't do that stuff that was happening before at John's Booze."
Location Near Schools Raised Serious Concerns
The shop's proximity to educational institutions greatly concerned authorities and local councillors. The premises is directly opposite Phoenix Collegiate, one of the West Midlands' largest secondary schools, and just half a mile from Sandwell Community School, which caters for excluded students.
Local Labour councillors Kay Millar and Paul Moore, who represent the Hateley Heath ward, supported the licence review. They stated that the row of shops in Jowett's Lane was known for drug-dealing on a "large scale" and that John's Booze had been specifically accused by residents of selling alcohol, vapes, and cigarettes to children.
The councillors emphasised: "This business operates a stone's throw away from a large secondary school across the road. It's extremely accessible to young people in particular." They added that the area had become an attractive location for both young people and adults to access these products discreetly.
The council's decision to revoke the licence means the shop can no longer legally operate, bringing to an end a business that had become a significant concern for community safety and child protection in West Bromwich.
