Blakenall Mini Mart, a convenience store on Barracks Lane in Walsall, has had its premises licence revoked by the council following a string of serious licensing breaches, including the sale of alcohol to minors and the discovery of illicit tobacco products.
The decision was made by Walsall councillors at a licensing committee meeting on Monday, August 10, after hearing evidence from Trading Standards, West Midlands Police, and the council's public health team. The licence holder, Mr Salam Hussein Khiziryan, did not attend the hearing to defend his case.
Underage sales and illicit tobacco finds
In July 2025, underage volunteers were able to purchase a bottle of WKD Blue from the store without being asked for identification, while a Trading Standards officer was present in the shop at the time. This was one of several incidents that prompted the licensing review.
In May 2026, council officers seized a significant haul of 960 cigarettes and 3.1 kilograms of tobacco from the premises. Additionally, on two separate occasions in June 2024 and July 2026, Trading Standards officers bought packets of 20 cigarettes for £5 each that were suspected to be counterfeit.
Previous incidents linked to licence holder
While some of these incidents occurred before Mr Khiziryan took over the licence in October 2025, the council's report noted that he had previously worked as an assistant at another premises on Stafford Road, Walsall. During his time there, officers seized 200 illicit cigarettes in August 2025 and discovered 140 more hidden in a toilet cistern in February 2026.
At the August 10 meeting, all three statutory bodies – Trading Standards, West Midlands Police, and the public health team – called for the licence to be revoked, citing a pattern of disregard for licensing laws.
Officials condemn deliberate behaviour
Stuart Powell, speaking on behalf of Trading Standards, said: “With the extensive amount of occasions where we have found illicit tobacco both on the premises in question and also premises where Mr Khiziryan has been working, there has been total disregard for the licensing objectives. It’s our contention that the premises licence holder is not fit to hold a licence and it should be revoked.”
Jennifer Mellor of West Midlands Police added: “These illegal sales need to stop and this behaviour of a premise license holder needs to be stamped out. You have to ask the question as to why the premise licence holder has chosen to sell illicit tobacco? I would suggest that it is for his own financial gain and to undercut other law abiding businesses. We also believe these sales at the shop are not a coincidence or a mistake. It was a deliberate act.”
Council decision
Councillors ultimately agreed that, given the seriousness of the offences, revoking the licence was “necessary, appropriate and proportionate”. The decision means the store can no longer legally sell alcohol or tobacco, and its future trading status remains uncertain.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by Walsall Council and its partners to crack down on the illegal sale of tobacco and alcohol, which not only undermines public health but also harms legitimate businesses in the area.
