Around 90 objections have been received to Tesco’s application for a licence to sell alcohol at its new Witts Hill store from 6am until midnight seven days a week. The application goes before the Licensing Sub-Committee on Thursday (April 25).
Pic: Ann MacGillivray

Many of the letters of objection are signed on behalf of more than one local resident, and some come from politicians and local businesses. You can gen up on Tesco’s plans, and read the objection letters (which start from page 34) on this PDF download from the council’s agenda page.

Schools

Many objectors say they fear an increase in anti-social behaviour fuelled by late-night alcohol sales in what is essentially a residential area. Some make the point that it’s close to a number of schools.

“Tesco would be encouraging children to accept easy access to alcohol as a social norm,” claims one local resident in his letter.

Worries are also expressed that other local businesses could be forced to compete and trade for longer hours, or suffer the dangers of closure which could result in a row of empty properties becoming “a hotspot for anti-social behaviour”.

In her letter, local resident Mary Finch says that Tesco has already got two outlets selling alcohol at Cobden Avenue and West End Road, which she points out are both within walking distance of this new one. “Surely this is saturation point for Tesco,” she says.

‘Excessive hours’

Conservative ward councillor Ivan White (left) says: “The hours are excessive and give people who are susceptible alcohol abuse (a problem which causes the greatest health and social problems in the City) the opportunity to purchase alcohol for 18 hours per day. No other outlet within a large radius from the store has such a license.”

John Denham, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, concludes his letter to the committee claiming that the “extended hours sought by Tesco indicate a complete lack of sensitivity to the concerns of local people and a desire, for commercial reasons, to change the whole nature of the current shopping parade.”

You can hear Mr Denham speaking about the issue, and read our earlier coverage of the public meeting in March, from this link. 

• The Licensing Sub-Committee meets on April 25 is open to the public, and will be held in Conference Room 3 at the Civic Centre starting at 10.30am.