A man who said he wouldn't bring his children up on a trouble-hit Wolverhampton estate “spectacularly failed” to get a licence to sell alcohol in that very area.
Pavel Hristov had applied for a premises licence to sell alcohol at Fresh Food & Drink Ltd on Newhampton Road West, Whitmore Reans from 5am to 11pm seven days a week.
But a hearing of the city council's statutory licensing sub committee on Monday (May 20) heard how the shop was in an area besieged with anti-social behaviour problems including street drinking and excessive drug misuse.
It also fell in a 'cumulative impact zone' and public spaces protection order area, measures imposed to help tackle alcohol misuse problems particularly around the Avion Centre, situated directly opposite the store.
Committee chairman Councillor Alan Bolshaw rejected the application and said Mr Hristov had failed to demonstrate that granting the licence would not have a negative impact on the area.
Mr Hristov, who represented himself, told the hearing that he was aware of the problems in the area but believed they were mostly due to drug misuse.
He said: "I'm applying for a licence to help my family and selling alcohol would help increase profits at the shop.
Top stories - Black Country
"I agree that the situation in the area is terrible. I don't like that part of Wolverhampton . I would rather kill myself than have my children grow up there.
"But I don't think it is the problem of selling alcohol. The problems are because of a lot of other things such as drugs. I hope people can change the area and make it nice for everybody."
He added he was looking to go away to university later in the year. When questioned, Mr Hristov said he did not know how to operate the shop's CCTV system.
Most of the evidence presented by trading standards and licensing officers was heard in private as sensitive information about individuals was discussed.
But the hearing heard how a test purchase carried out on Friday (May 17) had resulted in the illegal sale of tobacco.
The store, formerly known as Euro Shop, had also been involved in the sale of illicit tobacco and cigarettes as far back as 2015.
Parpinder Singh, senior public health specialist, said the designated cumulative impact zone meant there was a presumption to refuse applications for licensable activities unless an applicant could demonstrate there would be no negative impact on the area.
Sgt Steph Reynolds, of West Midlands Police , said: "There has been a significant amount of work put in by agencies to reduce the issues going on.
"I fail to see how the applicant has shown how it will not rebut refusal as presumed under a culminative impact zone."
Ward councillor Obaida Ahmed added: "The Avion Centre used to be a family friendly shopping centre but now there are people sitting there drinking every day."
Councillor Bolshaw said: "The committee has heard from several parties, including the applicant, about the anti-social behaviour affecting Whitmore Reans and the Avion Centre.
"The committee is satisfied the premises falls within the culminative impact zone which means the applicant has to rebut the presumption of refusal.
"The applicant has spectacularly failed to do so. He appears to have no knowledge of licensing objectives and is unable to elaborate or explain details of his own application form. The committee's decision is to refuse the application."
