300 oppose new off licence in Southend (From Southend Standard)
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300 oppose new off licence in Southend
4:00pm Monday 7th January 2013 in Echo News By Emma Thomas
300 oppose new off licence in Southend
CONCERNED locals have joined together to fight plans for a new off-licence.
More than 300 shopkeepers and residents along Sutton Road, Southend, have signed a petition against the granting of the licence which would allow the owner to sell booze from 10am until 11pm seven days a week.
Sunil Patel, who owns an off-licence and shop two doors along from the empty shop, said there are already eight businesses selling alcohol within a mile of the parade.
Mr Patel, who has had the business for 26 years, said another entreprenuer wanted to open a hardware store there.
He said: “Nobody wants it and we don’t need it.
“We haven’t got a hardware store round here and we would appreciate that.”
The petition will be handed to Southend Council before next Wednesday, January 9.
Doreen Crathern, who owns Bizzy Lizzy florist further along the parade, said she was fully in support of the petition.
She said: “There are enough off-licences and in this parade we need something different.”
The parade, near to Jones Memorial Recreation Ground, has a mixture of shops and takeaways which the traders want to keep.
Nick Hickin, co-owner of car parts shop Victory Motor Factor, added: “The parade could do with a different type of shop. It needs something different to help the parade survive.”
People living in Sutton Road and the surrounding area said they feared another place selling alcohol would encourage antisocial behaviour.
Tony Chytry, 58, who lives in Royston Avenue, said residents were fighting to get an alcohol exclusion zone put in around Cluny Square and this would not help.
He said: “We get beer bottles and cans strewn up the road a this is just going to fuel more of it.
“What would be nice is to see things like butchers return - things the community needs.”
Grandmother Karen Brown, 46, who lives in The Mulberrys, is a regular customer of the parade.
She added: “It would be nice to have a bakers or a greengrocers - something that we haven’t got already. Something a bit different would be good.”
Comments(14)
Sir Peter Pantsless the 3rd
says...
4:24pm Mon 7 Jan 13
.
Could be worse could end up being another 'Fried Chicken joint' or similar!
firedog
says...
4:28pm Mon 7 Jan 13
dont use it ,it will close.It is not what shop you would like to see,it is what shop
is viable.
supershrimper
says...
4:33pm Mon 7 Jan 13
AuldGit
says...
4:50pm Mon 7 Jan 13
emcee wrote:You are so right! Half the time I go to either B & Q or Homebase, and they either haven't got what I'm looking for, or it's priced out of all reality.
A good hardware shop is as hard to find as hens teeth in this day and age. Not everybody wants to bow to the B&Q or Homebase overpricing.
A hardware shop would, therefore, be good choice for any parade of shops.
Decent hardware shop, Bring it on!
Sir Peter Pantsless the 3rd
says...
4:59pm Mon 7 Jan 13
AuldGit wrote:Izod & Burnip, Southchurch road will have what you want and cheap.
emcee wrote:You are so right! Half the time I go to either B & Q or Homebase, and they either haven't got what I'm looking for, or it's priced out of all reality.
A good hardware shop is as hard to find as hens teeth in this day and age. Not everybody wants to bow to the B&Q or Homebase overpricing.
A hardware shop would, therefore, be good choice for any parade of shops.
Decent hardware shop, Bring it on!
Eric Whim
says...
5:33pm Mon 7 Jan 13
Public Inconvenience
says...
5:40pm Mon 7 Jan 13
The site will either become an off-licence,a takeaway or charity shop,or converted into flats of course(!)
Nebs
says...
6:18pm Mon 7 Jan 13
NOTORIOUS
says...
9:30pm Mon 7 Jan 13
Brunning999
says...
4:59am Tue 8 Jan 13
Brunning999
says...
9:02am Tue 8 Jan 13
NOTORIOUS wrote:Odd comment to make!
A HARDWARE SHOP HAS TRIED TO OPEN HERE - BUT THE OFFY APPLICATION SEEMS TO BE THE OWNERS PREFERED CHOICE - ITS AN ESTABLISHED BUISNESS HAVING TO MOVE BECAUSE PITSEA MARKET IS BEING RE-DEVELOPED!!!
Carnabackable
says...
4:58pm Tue 8 Jan 13
Eric Whim wrote:Thousands...........
how many locals didn't sign because they're not that concerned?
.
lottie31
says...
6:10pm Fri 1 Feb 13
emcee says...
4:17pm Mon 7 Jan 13
A hardware shop would, therefore, be good choice for any parade of shops.