Kingston upon Thames' Licensing Sub-Committee has ruled that the Coombe Convenience Store must retain CCTV footage for 90 days, following a review of its premises licence.
The decision, made on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, comes after an application by the Metropolitan Police, who sought revocation of the licence. The sub-committee ultimately decided to amend condition five of the premises licence, increasing the retention period from 31 to 90 days. This change contrasts with the original condition, which mandated footage retention for 31 days.
The application for review was based on the grounds that the premises licence holder, Kanapathipillai Kumaran, had allegedly failed to uphold the licensing objective of the prevention of crime and disorder, following the execution of a warrant and an ongoing criminal investigation related to stolen goods, according to Binny Day, Licensing Officer. During the warrant execution, police identified 25 items they believed should not have been in the store, presuming them to be stolen. However, according to Ms. Sherratt, the criminal prosecution related to these items has concluded due to a lack of evidence.
According to the agenda, the Licensing Sub-Committee had several options, including taking no further action, modifying the licence conditions, excluding a licensable activity, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence, or revoking it.
Jill Sherratt, agent for the premises licence holder, stated that Mr. Kumaran has owned the store for over 22 years and that it is the family's primary source of income. She emphasised the store's diverse inventory, including DIY and gardening goods, and its provision of services like parcel handling and international money transfers.
Ms. Sherratt also referenced the Thwaites case, arguing that the committee must make an evidence-based decision and cannot rely on speculation. She stated that there was no evidence of theft from the shop.
Mr. Kumaran, the premises licence holder, expressed the emotional toll the experience had taken on him, stating he hadn't slept well in months. He highlighted his commitment to serving vulnerable and elderly customers.
During the meeting, Councillor Thay Thayalan questioned Mr. Kumaran about security tags on allegedly gifted items and open cigarette packets. Mr. Kumaran explained the circumstances, stating that a customer had complained about the taste of the cigarettes.
Councillor Lesley Heap inquired about shoplifting levels, to which Mr. Kumaran responded that it was minimal due to their familiarity with the local community.
Councillor James Giles questioned Mr. Kumaran about the absence of receipts for certain items and the sale of banned mothballs. Ms. Sherratt responded by saying:
we're not here to prove bookkeeping we're here to assess theft if we felt that we needed to prove bookkeeping then we would have come with all of that evidence for you and that's why it's impossible for me to address the questions that you're asking because I don't have that kind of detail here with me it isn't the issue at hand the issue is are these stolen goods you know you might not like the way that this store operates you might think it's shoddy and that's your prerogative okay but that it is not the reason that we are here and by being hold over the coals like this over something I can't defend you know I can't do anything about it your assessment is are they stolen goods and you know I can't help really
Amy Olga from RBK Trading Standards voiced support for the licence review, citing concerns about reports and intelligence received. She stated that Trading Standards' support for the review stemmed from the concerning amount of reports and intelligence they had received. She also offered guidance to the trader on compliance matters, advising Mr. Kumaran to contact them if unsure of his obligations, highlighting previous guidance and the Business Companion website as resources.
DS Westham acknowledged a discrepancy in a statement, explaining it was not intended to be misleading and likely resulted from an officer listing items on the wrong address setting due to attending multiple addresses on the day of action. He affirmed that the community must trust licensed premises to be law-abiding.
Prior to the review, Trading Standards had engaged with the store and received intelligence regarding several issues, as detailed in Annex 3 of the Public Reports Pack. These included concerns about underage alcohol sales, illicit vapes, pricing discrepancies, and the sale of prohibited items. Specifically, in May 2024, intelligence was received regarding the sale of alcohol to underage children, leading to the issuance of a warning letter and guidance. Further investigation in July 2024 revealed the presence of illicit vapes at the counter. A visit in August 2024 uncovered pricing issues and a scale that was not visible to consumers. In November 2024, open cigarette packs were found, raising suspicions of single cigarette sales to minors. In April 2025, counterfeit goods and banned mothballs were seized during a warrant execution. Additionally, the premises was subject to Operation CECE due to a large quantity of concealed illicit vapes, resulting in ongoing enforcement action.
The sub-committee ultimately decided to amend the licence condition regarding CCTV footage retention, requiring it to be kept for 90 days instead of 31.
