A grocery and alcohol delivery service known as Gorillas, intending to operate from the old Blockbuster building in Portswood, was granted a licence to sell alcohol on Wednesday (May 12).
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As reported, Gorillas Technologies Ltd applied for a licence from 8am until midnight seven days a week for the 133 Portswood Road premises.
The company says it already operates 11 similar services in different areas of London. It also has outlets in Germany, Netherlands, and France according to its website..
The applicant’s representative said that a lease had been signed, and a planning application lodged - although this application hasn't yet been posted onto the council's planning portal.
It was stressed that the operation was like a grocery store but with no public access. Instead customers order via an app and deliveries are made by bicycle or e-bike by the company’s own trained staff – with a target delivery time of 10 minutes.
He said the operation would employ 25 people – 12 per shift including riders, and the meeting heard about various measures designed to ensure the appropriate age of those ordering alcohol
Although there were several objections, including concerns around operating hours near a residential area, it was explained that some of these were planning matters, generally falling outside of the scope of licensing objectives.
