Muslims dismayed over stores alcohol license fearing anti-social behaviour
The secretary of the mosque, Shamim Ahmed, has warned that the decision may well prompt them to look at moving to another area.
In January, the council’s licensing sub-committee granted the new Southern Co-operative store, due to open in the summer, a licence to serve alcohol from 8am to 11pm on Monday to Sunday, despite a petition with 58 signatures objecting to the move.
While the Bangladesh Welfare Centre had no problems with the store being built, it said it feared that the sale of alcohol next to a place of worship would increase crime, antisocial behaviour and racial hatred.
Mr Ahmed, who attended the meeting, said: “Our lease is up in about six years’ time and, now they are opening next door, maybe we will look at moving somewhere else.
“We were more than happy for the store to be built but to allow alcohol to be sold shows a complete lack of respect. Myself and the Muslim community are really upset and disappointed by the decision. It feels like the council is ignoring us. People are regularly drinking in the street outside the mosque when children and women are leaving and we have had a pig’s head on our door and two bikes have recently been stolen in Pound Street. They are going to put CCTV inside the shop but, as far as I’m aware, not outside.”
However, councillor Jeff Beck (Con, Clay Hill), who chaired the licensing sub-commitee meeting on January 22, said that the Muslim community’s views were not shared by the sub-committee.
“If you want lack of respect, they turned up half-an-hour late to the meeting with no apologies or acknowledgement, and one of the people who signed the petition was a restaurant owner in the town who has a licence to serve alcohol.
“It was not as if it was a licence for a pub where people could sit and drink next to the mosque ,that would be different. This is for the sale of takeaway liquor.
“We went through the correct process and came to a decision – there’s not much more to say.”
In a letter accompanying the petition, the chairman of the Bangladesh Welfare Centre, Ahbab Hussein, who also attended the meeting, said: “On behalf of the Bangladesh Welfare Centre and the Muslim community, we reject an application for permission for the issue of alcohol licensing next to the Bangladesh Welfare Centre as it is a religious place and children’s centre where the local Muslim community, including women and children, visit regularly.
“Many people within the Muslim community have objected and feel strongly against this alcohol licensing.”
Mr Hussain added that he was concerned that there were no CCTV cameras in Pound Street.
In Islam, consumption of any intoxicants, specifically alcoholic beverages, is generally forbidden by the Qur’an.
