Islington's Licensing Sub Committee A is considering revoking the licence of Cally Local, a shop on Caledonian Road, after illicit goods were discovered on the premises.
The review was triggered after Highbury and Islington Magistrates' Court issued a closure order for the shop on 11 June 2025, following a visit by Islington Trading Standards officers and the police. The Public reports pack details a series of inspections and complaints that led to the closure.
Trading Standards received a complaint on 16 June 2024, alleging the sale of illicit cigarettes and cannabis at the premises. An inspection on 21 June 2024, led to the discovery of illegal alcohol. A subsequent inspection on 14 March 2025, involving a tobacco detection dog, resulted in the seizure of illicit tobacco products. During the inspection, officers also found what appeared to be cannabis.
According to a statement from Bengu Solak, a Trading Standards officer, Kamber Yuceoglu, who identified himself as the owner, was present during the search. Solak stated:
On Friday 14th March 2025 I was on duty in company with Trading standard officers Louise Smedley, Sonita Singh, Gavin Williams and Wagtail dog handler Brad THOMAS when we attended Cally Local 490 Caledonian Road N1 as part of a dog operation Kreuzberg. The operation was to search premises for illicit tobacco following intelligence received by Trading Standards.
Solak's statement also noted that Yuceoglu made a comment in Turkish upon the arrival of police, which Solak translated as, The uncles are here, they're going to fuck me up
. Yuceoglu was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.
The closure order was issued under Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Policing and Crime Act 2014, leading to the mandatory review of the premises licence under Section 167 of the Licensing Act 2003.
Representations in support of the review were submitted by the Licensing Authority, Islington's Trading Standards Team, the Police Licensing Team, and Islington's Community Safety Team. The Licensing Authority expressed concerns that the premises had been found to be committing offences related to the sale of illicit and illegal items and recommended that the committee consider revoking the premises licence.
Islington's Trading Standards Team stated they had got no confidence that the licensing principles are or ever could be complied with by the premises licence holder (PLH).
PC Tim Livermore of the Police Licensing Team stated that police had no confidence in Mr Yelocagi as the premises licence holder to act responsibly in regards to licensed premises management after the findings of this visit and the closure noted granted by the Magistrates Court.
Matthew Bunce, Community Safety Officer, noted the high levels of drug-related anti-social behaviour in the Laycock ward and expressed the view that the licence should be revoked to prevent further issues.
The premises licence, held by Kamber Yelocagi, authorised the off-sales of alcohol from 08:00 to 23:00, Monday to Saturday, and from 10:00 to 22:30 on Sundays. The licence had been in effect since at least 2005, with Kamber Yelocagi transferring onto the licence in November 2023.
The Licensing Sub-Committee, including Councillor Heather Staff (Chair of Licensing Committee and Migrants Champion), Councillor Phil Graham, Councillor Nick Wayne (Chair of Corporate Resources and Economy Scrutiny Committee), Councillor Gary Heather, and Councillor Rosaline Ogunro (Deputy Mayor), is scheduled to consider the evidence and representations, and take steps necessary for the promotion of the four licensing objectives. The options available to the committee include modifying the conditions of the licence, excluding a licensable activity, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence, or revoking the licence. The report pack indicates that the Licensing Authority requested that members consider revoking the premises licence.