Banbury shop has licence revoked after illegal shisha seized
Shops who sell illegal shisha tobacco and vapes run the risk of losing their alcohol licence, Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards team is warning.
It comes as a shop in Banbury, where smuggled shisha tobacco and excess capacity vapes were seized, has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked.
Trading standards applied to review the premises’ licence of Banbury Express Food & Wine, 179 Warwick Road, Banbury at a special Cherwell District Council licensing sub-committee hearing on 10 October.
It came after a test purchase of shisha tobacco was made back in April, with the product being sold for nearly £10 less than the rate of duty. The labelling also contained none of the required health warnings and made a prohibited reference to a taste or smell.
Shisha, nicotine pouches and vapes were seized in a follow-up visit in July. The unlawful vapes contained five times more than the maximum capacity of nicotine-containing liquid allowed.
Councillor Dr Nathan Ley, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Inequalities and Community Safety for Oxfordshire County Council said: “The premises’ licence was the subject of a review because previous advice had not been heeded. Our officers try to work with businesses and provide detailed advice to help them comply with the law but when that is ignored, it’s important that the appropriate action is taken to protect the public and other businesses that are trading lawfully.”
Cherwell District Council’s licensing sub-committee heard that trading standards had identified similar issues in 2021. The business had been given extensive verbal and written advice, which had not been followed.
Councillor Rob Parkinson, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “It’s crucial that businesses selling alcohol follow the law. The licensing system is a powerful tool for helping prevent crime and disorder and Cherwell District Council is committed to ensuring premises are not selling products that pose a risk to public safety.”
Anyone with information about the illegal sale of tobacco or vapes should call 0300 999 6 999 or report it anonymously online at stop-illegal-tobacco.co.uk
More information
Any person who made representations at the hearing has the right to appeal the decision by giving notice to the magistrates’ court within a period of 21 days beginning with the day upon which written notification of the determination was given, which was 14 October.
The decision to revoke the premises licence does not take effect until the appeal period has expired.
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