Residents’ despair over shop’s controversial bid to sell booze 24/7 on Ecclesall Road in Sheffield

Sheffield City Council’s Licencing Sub-Committee heard the application for an extended licence for 418 Store on Ecclesall Road.

The shop, selling “high-end” alcohol, Cuban cigars and even fruits and vegetables, is open between 9am and 11pm from Monday to Sunday.

The committee received 13 objections to the plans, with those against the bid telling committee members that the area was busy, noisy and a place where a lot of places sell “alcohol in various ways”.

Ecclesall Road in Sheffield with a lot of its pubs, bars and restaurants is a well-known destination for people seeking a night out.

An objector said those night outs usually end with empty bottles left in front of their doors or in their gardens by partygoers.

She said: “We don’t need more mess. We don’t need more noise.”

She added: “There’s the noise, the disruption, the litter, the mess, the inconvenience… all of those things we find difficult.”

The committee heard that objectors felt they “couldn’t take it anymore”.

The committee was told that the applicant, the shop’s owner, had agreed with South Yorkshire Police regarding CCTV and staff training.

A solicitor of the applicant said that the owner of the business was a “young entrepreneur” and he was involved in a number of businesses within Sheffield (and Ecclesall Road).

He told committee members that the owner had a “completely clean record” with no complaints against him.

He said: “He is a gentleman who understands his obligations and responsibilities.”

He said he had been running 418 Store for a couple of months and had had no issues associated with the premises.

He added the business “targeted high clientele” and the committee was told that the business was struggling with the current opening hours.

The business, it was told, would survive if it could stay open between 11pm and 3am, at least.

“It’s really about survival”, the solicitor said, and he added there were serious financial implications for the owner and his staff.

Cllr Joe Otten (Dore and Totley, Liberal Democrats) said he was “surprised” to see that someone selling high-end drinks thought they would be able to sell those drinks at 3am.

After a short deliberation, the committee decided to refuse Masoud Ibrahimi and Amanuel Gebru Araya’s application.