The council finally reversed their decision and the license is back with us. It has been a long and draining road to get here but I am relieved that we can finally move forward. We will keep a close watch to ensure this stays resolved for good.
November 26, 2018
Final supporters
Thank you for coming into this page and we truly appreciate every single signature we receive. Below explains that the council have rejected our alcohol licence application due to their error and we are being penalised. The shop has been in our family for over 30 years and due to a technicality, we had to reapply. Please please please take a min to read and sign. Thank you in advance x
My father passed away in September 2016, he had previously owned and run the off licence and newsagents, along with my grandad. My mother and father bought this shop in 1986 and prior to this, my grandparents owned an off-licence on Kingfield Road, Foleshill, Coventry.
We leased out our shop in 2011 and due to a fire, the lease was terminated and unbeknown to us, the tenant had surrendered the alcohol licence.
In this time, the council built a Salvation Army Lifehouse, right opposite the shop. It was previously 100 yards up the road. The council at this point saw no harm in approving and making the building directly opposite an off-licence, one that was fully trading. In fact, the shop was trading for a year whilst the centre opposite was open.
Due to personal issues, my father did not reopen the shop and our parents made the hard decision to sell the shops (they owned the cafe, which had now been renovated into a chip shop next door).
However, following our fathers passing in September 2016, my brother decided he wanted to reopen the shop and continue what his grandfather and his father had built. The community was like family, a lot knew my parents before we were born!
My brother renovated the shop and we have comments daily at how clean it is, how modern it is but mainly how nice it is to have our family back in the shop.
The shop is a grocers, newsagents, we are expecting our lottery machine and paypoint machine in the next couple of weeks, and we house a coffee station.
The outstanding item was the alcohol licence. My brother applied and nobody in the area rejected this within the time the council give you. However, on the last day, the local police and the manager of the centre rejected this.
This meant we had to attend a mediation meeting with the council as mediators and my brother and the police/centre managers there to try and come to an arrangement.
To say the opposition were not there to mediate would be an understatement. We put forward suggestions of not selling alcohol over a certain percentage, not selling alcohol to anyone residing in the centre. We explained we had not requested a 24 hour licence and we would be closing at 9.30pm, due to it also being a residential area. Our suggestions were mocked at, and it went to a panel hearing.
Following this panel hearing, our solicitor who was absolutely brilliant and professional throughout, explained our reasonings. He also pointed out that at the time of the centre being built, the off licence was open and trading so who in the council felt it was acceptable to build it where they have.
As stated before, the Salvation Army was 100 yards up the road and we never had any issues and police could check their records. Whilst we’ve been open, we have not had issues with any of the residents across the road, however, the police are there almost daily.
The police feel crime will increase if we sell alcohol. The nearest off licence from us at the minute is a four minute walk and the second an eight minute walk. It’s worth noting one has a 24 hour licence to sell alcohol.
Another point the police and the centre manager continue to point out is that they house vulnerable people and that is their concern.
Please check their website:
https://www.homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/service/salvation-army-harnall-lifehouse
Nowhere on their website does it state they home vulnerable people. It actually states they only accept homeless people from Coventry and local areas for a six month period. It states they do not house anyone who is a significant risk to themselves or anyone else.
That would suggest it be an alcoholic, drug addict or anyone with a mental illness. So the council and police are incorrect with have no basis for their point.
Secondly, it all comes down to that our off licence has always been there, for over 30 years and the Salvation Army was still built opposite a fully trading shop. Only to a silly technicality we had to reapply.
The centre is not an alcoholic rehabilitation centre and from observation, less than half are alcoholics. Some have fallen on hard times and look like you and me. It’s not fair we are being penalised for the councils error of building where they did and it definitely not fair that the pressure of them buying alcohol and causing bad behaviour falls on one person/business.
If an alcoholic wants a drink, they will find it. We as a business can only do so much. If we feel any one person is not in a position to drink anymore, we are more than happy to refuse them. This is what my grandfather and father always did and I don’t see why it would be any different now for the sake of a few pounds.
Due to a minority, the majority in the area lose out. We have regular customers and passing trade stopping to buy alcohol and we are not able to provide them with a service we’ve always had due to the council rejecting our licence, rejection, based on where the Salvation Army is situated.
We feel Coventry City Council made a complete error in allowing the centre to be built opposite an off licence and we are now being penalised for their error which ultimately has a detrimental effect on our business.
Please take a minute to sign this petition for us and feel free to leave any comments.
Thank you so much I’m advance.
The Gill Family x
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 20, 2018
Reached 100 supporters
October 20, 2018
October 18, 2018
The council is keeping their eyes on these numbers and we need to push past the hundred mark to force them to pay attention. It has been a long road for our family but we are not finished fighting for this shop yet.
87 Comments
It's a real shame that honest and hard working people get penalized for errors in the establishment. The Gill family are very well known, liked and respected in Coventry and it will be unjust not to give back their license.
A lovely family run shop being affected by ludicrous council decisions. The council build a hostel opposite an off licence and next to a pub and now they want to stop alcohol being sold. Why should everyone else have to suffer because of a few people when alcohol is sold all over Coventry. It’s the people’s right to have access to what they need locally and conveniently.
For as long as I can remember (30 years +) both the Salvation centre have Off licence have operated without issue. Can't see what the problem is now. The council are preventing a hard working family from earning a crust and providing a service to the community. Licence should be issued.
I really think we would benifit from this shop because at the moment I have to walk further down the road and with my MS it’s very difficult so if Raj place is isssued with a licence I wouldn’t have to catch a taxi which for me is very expensive . I used to shoo at this shop 20years ago and never seen any trouble or heard of any trouble
This shop has been the centre of this community for over 30 years and cannot believe this diabolical decision. I have been coming to this shop for over 20 years now and this decision will effect the local community considerably. I do not have a car and now risk walking to another shop late at night, thank you Coventry council!
All the best let's hope it all works out for you guys!
To sell the notion that the alcohol licence should be granted because of the family history is laughable. Give it to them if the area needs it. (which is appears it doesn't need but hey another offy makes no diff per se but he another one makes no difference). The father who the shop is named after was arrested after trying to flee from a fire above the shops in a flat were drugs were being harvested also was in prison for various other things. The grandfather did time for fraud... Just saying ...... Give them the licence because it may give Mr Gill a chance to flourish where his family failed.
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The council finally reversed their decision and the license is back with us. It has been a long and draining road to get here but I am relieved that we can finally move forward. We will keep a close watch to ensure this stays resolved for good.
November 26, 2018
Final supporters
Thank you for coming into this page and we truly appreciate every single signature we receive. Below explains that the council have rejected our alcohol licence application due to their error and we are being penalised. The shop has been in our family for over 30 years and due to a technicality, we had to reapply. Please please please take a min to read and sign. Thank you in advance x
My father passed away in September 2016, he had previously owned and run the off licence and newsagents, along with my grandad. My mother and father bought this shop in 1986 and prior to this, my grandparents owned an off-licence on Kingfield Road, Foleshill, Coventry.
We leased out our shop in 2011 and due to a fire, the lease was terminated and unbeknown to us, the tenant had surrendered the alcohol licence.
In this time, the council built a Salvation Army Lifehouse, right opposite the shop. It was previously 100 yards up the road. The council at this point saw no harm in approving and making the building directly opposite an off-licence, one that was fully trading. In fact, the shop was trading for a year whilst the centre opposite was open.
Due to personal issues, my father did not reopen the shop and our parents made the hard decision to sell the shops (they owned the cafe, which had now been renovated into a chip shop next door).
However, following our fathers passing in September 2016, my brother decided he wanted to reopen the shop and continue what his grandfather and his father had built. The community was like family, a lot knew my parents before we were born!
My brother renovated the shop and we have comments daily at how clean it is, how modern it is but mainly how nice it is to have our family back in the shop.
The shop is a grocers, newsagents, we are expecting our lottery machine and paypoint machine in the next couple of weeks, and we house a coffee station.
The outstanding item was the alcohol licence. My brother applied and nobody in the area rejected this within the time the council give you. However, on the last day, the local police and the manager of the centre rejected this.
This meant we had to attend a mediation meeting with the council as mediators and my brother and the police/centre managers there to try and come to an arrangement.
To say the opposition were not there to mediate would be an understatement. We put forward suggestions of not selling alcohol over a certain percentage, not selling alcohol to anyone residing in the centre. We explained we had not requested a 24 hour licence and we would be closing at 9.30pm, due to it also being a residential area. Our suggestions were mocked at, and it went to a panel hearing.
Following this panel hearing, our solicitor who was absolutely brilliant and professional throughout, explained our reasonings. He also pointed out that at the time of the centre being built, the off licence was open and trading so who in the council felt it was acceptable to build it where they have.
As stated before, the Salvation Army was 100 yards up the road and we never had any issues and police could check their records. Whilst we’ve been open, we have not had issues with any of the residents across the road, however, the police are there almost daily.
The police feel crime will increase if we sell alcohol. The nearest off licence from us at the minute is a four minute walk and the second an eight minute walk. It’s worth noting one has a 24 hour licence to sell alcohol.
Another point the police and the centre manager continue to point out is that they house vulnerable people and that is their concern.
Please check their website:
https://www.homeless.org.uk/homeless-england/service/salvation-army-harnall-lifehouse
Nowhere on their website does it state they home vulnerable people. It actually states they only accept homeless people from Coventry and local areas for a six month period. It states they do not house anyone who is a significant risk to themselves or anyone else.
That would suggest it be an alcoholic, drug addict or anyone with a mental illness. So the council and police are incorrect with have no basis for their point.
Secondly, it all comes down to that our off licence has always been there, for over 30 years and the Salvation Army was still built opposite a fully trading shop. Only to a silly technicality we had to reapply.
The centre is not an alcoholic rehabilitation centre and from observation, less than half are alcoholics. Some have fallen on hard times and look like you and me. It’s not fair we are being penalised for the councils error of building where they did and it definitely not fair that the pressure of them buying alcohol and causing bad behaviour falls on one person/business.
If an alcoholic wants a drink, they will find it. We as a business can only do so much. If we feel any one person is not in a position to drink anymore, we are more than happy to refuse them. This is what my grandfather and father always did and I don’t see why it would be any different now for the sake of a few pounds.
Due to a minority, the majority in the area lose out. We have regular customers and passing trade stopping to buy alcohol and we are not able to provide them with a service we’ve always had due to the council rejecting our licence, rejection, based on where the Salvation Army is situated.
We feel Coventry City Council made a complete error in allowing the centre to be built opposite an off licence and we are now being penalised for their error which ultimately has a detrimental effect on our business.
Please take a minute to sign this petition for us and feel free to leave any comments.
Thank you so much I’m advance.
The Gill Family x
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 20, 2018
Reached 100 supporters
October 20, 2018
October 18, 2018
The council is keeping their eyes on these numbers and we need to push past the hundred mark to force them to pay attention. It has been a long road for our family but we are not finished fighting for this shop yet.
87 Comments
I work in the local health centre and since the shop has reopened, the riff raff that used to be stood outside is non existent. I now feel safe to walk home in the area. I’ve only known the family a few weeks and they are polite and a credit to the local community.
It's a real shame that honest and hard working people get penalized for errors in the establishment. The Gill family are very well known, liked and respected in Coventry and it will be unjust not to give back their license.
A lovely family run shop being affected by ludicrous council decisions. The council build a hostel opposite an off licence and next to a pub and now they want to stop alcohol being sold. Why should everyone else have to suffer because of a few people when alcohol is sold all over Coventry. It’s the people’s right to have access to what they need locally and conveniently.
For as long as I can remember (30 years +) both the Salvation centre have Off licence have operated without issue. Can't see what the problem is now. The council are preventing a hard working family from earning a crust and providing a service to the community. Licence should be issued.
I really think we would benifit from this shop because at the moment I have to walk further down the road and with my MS it’s very difficult so if Raj place is isssued with a licence I wouldn’t have to catch a taxi which for me is very expensive . I used to shoo at this shop 20years ago and never seen any trouble or heard of any trouble
This shop has been the centre of this community for over 30 years and cannot believe this diabolical decision. I have been coming to this shop for over 20 years now and this decision will effect the local community considerably. I do not have a car and now risk walking to another shop late at night, thank you Coventry council!
All the best let's hope it all works out for you guys!
To sell the notion that the alcohol licence should be granted because of the family history is laughable. Give it to them if the area needs it. (which is appears it doesn't need but hey another offy makes no diff per se but he another one makes no difference). The father who the shop is named after was arrested after trying to flee from a fire above the shops in a flat were drugs were being harvested also was in prison for various other things. The grandfather did time for fraud... Just saying ...... Give them the licence because it may give Mr Gill a chance to flourish where his family failed.
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I work in the local health centre and since the shop has reopened, the riff raff that used to be stood outside is non existent. I now feel safe to walk home in the area. I’ve only known the family a few weeks and they are polite and a credit to the local community.