A Dagenham shop has had its licence varied with a request for extended hours refused, following concerns over the sale of illicit tobacco and underage sales.

Jay Food and Wine, located at 123A Broad Street, Dagenham, applied to extend its alcohol sales hours to midnight and its opening hours to 1am daily. However, the Barking and Dagenham Council's Licensing Sub-Committee decided to refuse the extended hours. The committee did agree to vary the licence by imposing additional conditions, following representations from the Metropolitan Police, the Council's Licensing Department, and the Council's Trading Standards Department.

Current Permitted Hours

Following the licence variation, Jay Food and Wine's permitted opening hours are from 7am to 1am daily, and the hours for the sale of alcohol are from 8am to midnight, Monday to Sunday. The requested extension of hours for the sale of alcohol was refused.

Police Concerns

PC Owen Dunn of 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 or Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). The police also noted that the applicant described previous failings as lapses in compliance, which they argued were fundamental failures to uphold licensing objectives.

The Council's Licensing Department echoed these concerns, citing a pattern of non-compliance, including operating beyond permitted hours and a prolonged period of non-operational CCTV.

Trading Standards Evidence

Nazir Ali, Service Manager for Trading Standards, presented evidence of significant compliance failures. He reported that on June 4, 2026, an authorised test purchaser successfully bought illicit tobacco from the premises. A subsequent inspection on June 13 revealed an open packet of illicit tobacco, suggesting the sale of single illicit cigarettes, which is banned. Trading Standards also highlighted a previous incident on February 19, 2026, where a vaping product was sold to a 14-year-old test purchaser, a serious breach given the premises' proximity to a secondary school.

Mr. Ali stated that these incidents demonstrated an ongoing disregard for the law and undermined the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and protecting children from harm.

Applicant's Response

In response, 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 was now operational. He also mentioned that neighbouring businesses had later opening hours, which influenced his application.

New Licence Conditions

Following deliberation, the Sub-Committee decided to refuse the variation application for the extended hours for the sale of alcohol. However, the committee agreed to vary the licence by modifying the conditions. These included:

  • Prohibiting the sale of single cans and bottles.
  • Mandating staff training with refresher courses every six months.
  • Ensuring alcohol supplies come from HMRC-approved sellers.
  • Prohibiting the acceptance of alcohol from door-to-door sellers.

The committee expressed concerns about the applicant's understanding of licensing objectives and his ability to deliver staff training, recommending the use of a reputable third-party provider.

Future Implications

The applicant was advised that demonstrating compliance with the new conditions could help avoid a future review of his entire licence. If Jay Food and Wine fails to demonstrate compliance with the new licence conditions in the future, they could face a review of their entire licence.

More information on the committee's decision can be found in the Public reports pack for the Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on Thursday, 2 July 2026.