A CHIPPING Sodbury shop has lost its licence for eight weeks for selling vapes and alcohol to children.
Lexie Local, in the High Street, was caught allowing underage sales on several occasions, including during the Mop Fair in September, which police described as a “recipe for disaster” because of the number of drunken teenagers buying booze from the shop.
South Gloucestershire Council’s licensing sub-committee ruled that premises licence holder Gagandeep Sharma should have his status as designated premises supervisor (DPS) taken away. He agreed to appoint a replacement who could dedicate more time to the role.
Avon & Somerset Police licensing officer Wes Hussey told the meeting that since the beginning of 2025, police and trading standards had received a number of reports about the shop selling alcohol and vapes to under-18s.
Advice, verbal and written warnings “appeared to have been ignored”.
He said: “The police believe Mr Sharma no longer has any control over what happens at the premises on a day-to-day basis.”
‘Young people under the influence’
Neighbourhood constable Neal Scarborough attended the last Mop Fair with two PCSOs.
He told councillors: “I immediately knew this was a losing battle because there were so many young people under the influence or carrying bulging bags (of alcohol).”
PC Scarborough said as soon as he walked into Lexie Local there were “red flags everywhere”.
He said: “There was little concern for the sale of alcohol to young people.
“The spilling out onto the street of drunken youths was just a recipe for disaster.”
Trading standards backed the police licence review application.
‘Chaotic’ mop fair
Solicitor Jeremy Woodcraft, representing Mr Sharma, said his client had “a great deal of experience of running licensed premises” and was responsible for two other shops as well as Lexie Local, which he took over at the end of 2024.
Mr Woodcraft said: “As a small businessman he wanted to do everything himself – he didn’t want to employ or trust other people, and quite clearly in this case this was the wrong decision.”
Following reports of underage sales in January, April and June, the Mop Fair had been “a chaotic time at best”.
Mr Woodcraft said: “Mr Sharma didn’t appreciate the Mop Fair was on that particular day, and there was one person who was unable to contain the masses and the number of people coming through the door, so Mr Sharma accepts that as an oversight on his part and a mistake.”
Announcing the panel’s decision in late November, Ron Hardie (Lab, Emersons Green) said members were “concerned at Mr Sharma’s lack of understanding regarding his responsibilities as the premises licence holder”.
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service