By Don Mort, local democracy reporter
Fears over street drinking and nuisance behaviour have seen a grocery store refused an alcohol licence.
Global Food Store faced objections to its application to sell drinks on Town Street in Armley.
A licensing hearing was told the area suffered from high levels of alcohol-related harm.
West Yorkshire Police and the council raised concerns after an application was made for alcohol sales until 11.30pm.
At a Civic Hall licensing hearing the applicant, Shiju Kariparamban, offered to reduce the hours to 8pm daily.
He told councillors the sale of alcohol was needed to keep the business going.
He said: “I have tried my level best to establish my business.
“In addition, just to survive at the moment I want to start selling selling something that attracts customers in.”
CCTV, a challenge 25 policy and staff training would be among measures to avoid nuisance behaviour.
No single bottles of beer would be sold at the premises, Mr Kariparamban said.
He said: “We’ll be fully focussing on public safety as well.”
Armley Labour councillor Andy Parnham said drink-related problems were discussed in his monthly meetings with the police and anti-social behaviour team.
He said: “Number one on that list every single month for the last three years has been Armley Town Street.
“The street drinking. The anti-social behaviour. Street drinking has become normalised.”
Councillors were told Town Street was in a designated Cumulative Impact Area (CIA).
Susan Duckworth, Leeds City Council’s principal licensing officer, said it meant licence applicants had to demonstrate they would not add to drink-related problems.
She said: “The burden of proof rests entirely with the applicant. We are not satisfied that burden has been met. It’s one of the most vulnerable areas of the city.”
Well done Cllr Andy Parnham for campaigning against yet another attempt to provide more access to alcohol in Armley. The effects of excessive drinking are both the visible – people openly drunk on Town Street and elsewhere, sometimes accompanied by antisocial behaviour – and the less visible – domestic abuse – as well of course as the health effects on individuals consuming alcohol. A small victory for our community!