A Dagenham shop has had its alcohol licence varied with additional conditions imposed following concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police, the Council's Licensing Department, and Trading Standards. Jay Food and Wine, located at 123A Broad Street, Dagenham, had applied to extend its alcohol sales hours from 8am to midnight and its opening hours from 7am to 1am daily.
The Licensing Sub-Committee of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Thursday, July 2, 2026, to consider the application. However, the committee decided to refuse the requested extension of hours.
Representations from the Metropolitan Police highlighted an incident on June 2, 2026, where officers found the premises open at 1am, beyond its permitted hours. During this visit, staff were unable to produce the premises licence, operate the CCTV system, or identify a supervisor. PC Owen Dunn stated that these were fundamental failures to uphold licensing objectives.
The committee expressed concerns about the applicant's understanding of licensing objectives,
noting that when questioned, the applicant struggled to articulate the licensing objectives and provided incorrect information about his current licensable hours. This conclusion was further supported by the applicant's description of previous failings as lapses in compliance,
which the police argued were fundamental failures to uphold licensing objectives.
The Council's Licensing Department echoed these concerns, noting a pattern of non-compliance, including operating beyond permitted hours and a prolonged period of non-operational CCTV. They argued that improvements were only made after intervention from responsible authorities.
Trading Standards presented evidence of significant compliance failures, including the sale of illicit tobacco on June 4, 2026, and the sale of a vaping product to a 14-year-old test purchaser on February 19, 2026. Service Manager Nazir Ali stated these incidents demonstrated an ongoing disregard for the law.
Specifically, on June 4, 2026, an authorised test purchaser successfully bought illicit tobacco, and an inspection on June 13 revealed an open packet of illicit tobacco, suggesting the sale of single illicit cigarettes. The sale of a vaping product to a 14-year-old test purchaser occurred on February 19, 2026. While specific penalties for these actions were not detailed, they contributed to the committee's decision.
The applicant, Alagathurai Vijeyakanthan, acknowledged some issues, attributing them to new staff and personal illness. He stated that staff training had been provided and the CCTV system had been repaired.
Following deliberation, the Sub-Committee refused the extension of hours for the sale of alcohol. However, the licence was varied to include additional conditions. These include prohibiting the sale of single cans and bottles, mandating staff training with refresher courses every six months, and ensuring alcohol supplies come from HMRC-approved sellers. The committee also recommended the use of a third-party provider for staff training, expressing concerns about the applicant's understanding of licensing objectives. Further conditions prohibit the acceptance of alcohol from door-to-door sellers.
The decision means that while the shop cannot sell alcohol later into the night, new conditions are in place to improve compliance and uphold licensing objectives. Refresher staff training is required every six months.
If compliance issues persist after these new conditions are implemented, the applicant was advised that demonstrating compliance could help avoid a future review of his entire licence.
More information on the meeting proceedings can be found in the Public reports pack.
