Probus residents object to 24/7 alcohol sales at petrol station
A familiar garage with a new late-night plan
For generations, the petrol station on Fore Street has been a fixture of Probus. Many of us grew up knowing it as a family business, run by Shaun and Vicky Poore for more than 66 years. When the couple sold up in September so they could enjoy retirement, most of us expected the forecourt and its shop to carry on much as before. Instead, the new owners, Birmingham-based Samy Investments Limited, have applied to Cornwall Council to change the premises licence. The plan would allow the site, which now also trades as a Morrisons Daily, to open around the clock and sell alcohol and late-night food and drink between 11pm and 5am, seven days a week. Opening hours have already moved from 7am to 9pm to 24 hours a day, and that shift has left many neighbours uneasy. The site sits just off the A390 near Truro, so it is a well-used stop for drivers. Eight residents have already written to the council to object. Their main worry is that a 24-hour alcohol outlet at the heart of our village could change the feel of the street after dark. Some of them have lived here for decades and say the garage has always closed in the evening without any trouble.
What the police and residents are asking for
Devon and Cornwall Police have not formally objected, but they have asked the council to attach a condition if the change is approved. Their licensing officer wants staff working overnight protected from customers who may already be drunk and only want to buy more alcohol. The suggested safeguards are either employing two members of staff during the night or serving customers through a secure night hatch. Residents have raised a wider set of concerns. Several point to recorded incidents of antisocial behaviour already reported on Fore Street. The covered bus shelter close to the filling station is another worry, as residents fear it could become a meeting point for groups buying drink late at night, with noise and litter landing on the doorsteps opposite. Others are concerned about traffic and pedestrians, particularly where people gather near the forecourt in the small hours. Lighting is also on people’s minds. The high-powered security and canopy lights needed for round-the-clock trading could shine straight into nearby homes. The business has put up a polite notice asking customers to keep noise down when leaving, and that is a sensible start, but residents want to see firm conditions written into the licence rather than goodwill signs on the door.
How to have your say and what happens next
This is a decision for Cornwall Council’s licensing team, and every representation received during the consultation period is considered. If you live near Fore Street, use the bus shelter, or simply want to comment on the application, it is worth checking the council’s licensing pages for the current deadline and the correct way to submit your views. Your comments should focus on the licensing objectives, such as public nuisance, crime and disorder, and public safety, as these are what the council is required to weigh. Residents may also want to ask the council whether any conditions, such as the night hatch, staffing levels, lighting controls or restrictions on the shelter area, could be attached if the application goes ahead. Watch for the council’s published decision and any conditions attached to it, and for updates from the parish council. The outcome matters beyond Probus too. Local businesses benefit from convenient late-night services, and visitors who pass through on their way to Newquay or Fistral Beach may come to rely on round-the-clock fuel. Balancing that convenience with the peace of the people who live here is the real question, and it is one we can all help answer by speaking up while the process is still open.
Source: Bid to sell alcohol 24/7 sparks ‘noise, disorder, litter, antisocial’ fears
