Shop loses alcohol licence after sale to youngster

A North Yorkshire convenience store has been stripped of its licence after a worker sold alcohol to a child.

The premises licence for Skipton's Lewiatian was reviewed by the local authority's licensing sub-committee on Friday.

Members heard the Sackville Street shop was being investigated for a number of alleged offences by North Yorkshire Police and Trading Standards.

Just two days before, an employee pleaded guilty at a court hearing to knowingly selling alcohol to someone who was drunk and selling alcohol to someone who was under 18.

The 26-year-old employee, from Keighley, was fined £200 at Skipton Magistrates' Court for the offences, which happened in July.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the owner of the shop, Saheb Sadeqhi, did not attend the licensing hearing due to illness but was represented by his solicitor.

After the hearing, Sadeqhi said he planned to appeal the decision.

In 2024, the store was prosecuted for selling illegal vapes, while in 2022 it was fined for selling fake tobacco and falsely labelled vodka.

North Yorkshire Council declined to comment on the case due to ongoing investigations.

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