Street drinkers 'urinate on Kirkgate Market' as bosses fight shop's bid to sell booze nearby
The applicant has requested permission to sell alcohol between 7am and 11pm
Concerns have been voiced about the potential impact on Kirkgate Market if a nearby shop in an area known for street drinking is granted an alcohol licence.
The council's markets department has raised objections to a premises licence application from New York Street Convenience Store. The applicant, Rizak Ltd, has requested permission to sell alcohol between 7am and 11pm from the premises at 33 New York Street.
An objection letter highlighted that the historic market already experiences anti-social behaviour linked to street drinkers purchasing alcohol from other off-licences in the vicinity.
It stated: "We are doing a lot of work to drive up visitor numbers to the market and are running a number of events aimed at families with children.
"A number of the street drinking cohort come onto our premises and urinate on our building, congregate around the stalls on the outdoor market on a night where damage is sustained at a cost to the tax payer."
Leeds City Council confirmed that an objection was also submitted by its Safer Communities team prior to a licensing hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 6.
However, objections from West Yorkshire Police and council licensing officers were subsequently withdrawn following agreements reached with the applicant.
Proposed conditions attached to the licence include limitations on the strength of alcohol available for sale.
A council report stated: "There shall be no sale of beer, lager, cider or perry above 6.5 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume). No single cans of beer, lager or cider shall be sold."
The applicant confirmed that CCTV and a Challenge 25 policy would be amongst the measures implemented to prevent antisocial behaviour.
The application form stated: "The display of alcohol shall be in a designated area of the premises which is capable of being supervised from the counter area.
"Customers shall be discouraged from drinking alcohol outside the premises."
Councillors will be able to grant, refuse or approve the licence with further conditions attached at the hearing at Leeds Civic Hall.