Burghclere councillors scotch 24-hour off-licence application

The licence application by Shell UK Oil Products Ltd – which sets out its bid to offer alcohol for sale 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as late-night refreshment sales from Monday to Sunday, between 11pm and 5am – was discussed by parish councillors at the Portal Hall in Burghclere at a meeting earlier this month. Currently the garage does not have any licence to sell alcohol.
Chairman Chris Saint said that the A34 was a busy dual carriageway that carried a lot of traffic that made it “effectively a motorway”. He said: “My understanding is you can’t sell alcohol on a motorway and I would object very, very strongly to alcohol sales on a motorway.”
Existing problems with noise and anti-social behaviour, he added, caused by people walking from the village to McDonald’s at Tothill, would be made worse, should the licence get the goahead.
“You put alcohol into the equation and it will get considerably worse,” said Mr Saint.
During a recent canvas of views about anti-social behaviour among residents of Pound Lane, he said that one villager had revealed problems with young people throwing stones at the window of their property.
Other councillors queried the need for a 24-hour licence at the locality, pointing out alcohol was readily available from Tesco, Pinchington Lane, the village pub The Carpenters Arms, or Burghclere Sports Club, in Harts Lane.
Two other pubs off the A34, situated close to the village, include the Carnarvon Arms and Swan pub, Newtown.
Basingstoke and Deane borough councillor, John Izett, (Con Highclere, Burghclere and St Mary Bourne) said that he
would take a personal interest in the application, although pointed out that the A34 was an A road. He said: “I am happy to echo the views of councillors.”
Other councillors said that the parish council should not be seen to be promoting alcohol sales.
Councillors decided to lodge an objection to the application.