A Hounslow convenience store has had its licence revoked after a raid uncovered a significant quantity of illicit tobacco, non-compliant vapes, and high-strength alcohol.
Kinsley Super Store, trading as Kingsley Local, located at 4 Kingsley Road, Hounslow, had its premises licence revoked by the Hounslow Licensing Panel on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The decision followed an application for review by the Licensing Authority, citing failures to uphold licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of crime and disorder.
During a joint inspection by Trading Standards and Licensing officers on June 16, 2026, a substantial amount of illegal goods were discovered. Officers seized 9,730 illicit cigarettes, 268 non-compliant vapes, and 128 miniature bottles of spirits. The estimated unpaid duty on the seized tobacco alone exceeded £4,700.
The trade in illegal, non-compliant goods damaged funding for essential services and undermined legitimate traders including small independent shops that serve the local Hounslow community,
according to the meeting information. The sale of illicit tobacco products is estimated to cost the UK taxpayer approximately £2 billion each year, and businesses involved in this trade often operate as cash-based operations generating substantial undeclared income.
The inspection also revealed widespread breaches of the store's licence conditions, with 12 out of 30 conditions found to be violated. These included a non-operational CCTV system, a lack of staff training records, no incident log, absence of required licensing signage, and the sale of prohibited miniature spirit bottles. The premises licence was originally granted on 22 May 2023.
The premises had been scheduled for inspection in May 2025, but the visit could not proceed as the shop closed shortly before officers attended. The report does not explicitly state if there were prior warnings or complaints before this attempted inspection.
Representing the Licensing Authority, Bob Dear, Licensing Enforcement Regulatory Officer, argued that the scale of the offending and the apparent disregard for legislation justified the revocation of the licence. While the defence, represented by counsel Mr Yusif Alhani, acknowledged some breaches and argued for alternative sanctions, the Panel concluded that revocation was the appropriate and proportionate response.
Councillor Gerry Lieberman chaired the Licensing Panel meeting, the details of which can be found in the Decisions Tuesday 01-Sep-2026 19.30 Licensing Panel document.
