Chesterfield newsagent to be stripped of licence after claims schoolgirl 'hospitalised' from booze sales

Complaints were made to council licensing officers earlier this year about Raj News & Off-Licence, on Baden Powell Road.

It was alleged shop staff were not using CCTV as set out in their premises licence and trying to evade the cameras by putting money through the till before alcohol is dished out ‘through the rear doors’.

Chesterfield Borough Council’s licensing committee has now decided to suspend the licence for three months.

Councillor Kate Sarvent, cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “It is a requirement of the licence conditions that CCTV recordings must be kept for a period of 28 days.

“The committee, after carefully considering all the evidence, was satisfied that the CCTV condition of the license was not being adhered to despite a previous warning being issued and has decided to suspend the license for three months. The premises licence holder still has a right of appeal to the magistrates’ court and therefore the suspension will not come into effect until any appeal is determined.”

Licensing officer Meredith Ezard said in a report: “On January 14 the licensing department received an email from Coun Sarvent voicing her concerns at the activities at Raj News & Off-Licence.

“She says that alcohol is being sold to teenagers.”

The report adds: “One girl in particular has been hospitalised due to the cumulative effects of regular alcohol consumption.”