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Cambridgeshire villagers are divided on whether their local Post Office and shop should be given a licence to sell alcohol. The owner of Longthorpe Post Office, Mohammad Arif, has applied for a new licence to sell alcohol at the shop, as well as to extend its opening hours.
The application will be discussed at a Peterborough City Council (PCC) licensing sub-committee meeting on Monday (September 9). The extended opening hours would see the shop open seven days a week until 10.30pm.
Nearly 40 Longthorpe residents submitted representations to the council regarding the licence application, with approximately 60 per cent in favour and 40 per cent objecting. Many of the residents who supported the application said that a licence to sell alcohol would ensure the survival of the Post Office and shop. One wrote: “If the licensing application was successful, and the footfall increased, it would help to maintain this excellent service.”
Several said that extended opening hours would make it easier for residents to do some of their shopping in Longthorpe, rather than having to travel elsewhere. An elderly resident who lives nearby and has trouble with mobility said they would be ‘lost’ without the shop.
They said: “It’s not just about posting letters, some still pay bills. We use it to get money and post parcels etc. The shop stocks the basic necessary goods which is essential when you run out.”
Another supporter said: “If by granting a licence it guarantees the survival of the post office, then surely this is a price worth paying. Times have changed considerably and people need to accept that business need to adapt to stay alive.”
Residents who objected to the licence application said they were concerned about antisocial behaviour, increased traffic and poor parking, and littering. They also noted the proximity of the village shop to a children’s play area, bowling green, and tennis courts.
One resident who objected wrote: “Risks of anti-social behaviour and littering whilst village residents are enjoying the sporting areas or the village hall will be significant.” They added that the extended opening hours would cause additional traffic in the ‘quiet’ village.
“The convenient nature of an off-license style offering encourages ad-hoc purchasing from passersby which will encourage anti-social behaviour, parking issues and will in general create a public nuisance,” one respondent wrote. “This will negatively impact the surrounding properties, community centre, children’s playpark and the green open space at the rear of the tennis courts.”
You can read the meeting agenda and public documents here.
