Tufnell Park off-licence that sold alcohol to U-18s faces ‘last chance saloon’

Published: 19 August, 2010
by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS

AN off-licence in Tufnell Park caught selling alcohol to an underage teenager escaped having its licence revoked at a review hearing. 

The owners of My Shop in Fortess Road – just metres from Acland Burghley Secondary School – appeared before licensing chiefs on Tuesday to answer police claims that they had persistently breached their licence and to explain why they had been found selling alcohol to under-18s.

The panel was told by Pc Sam Sheppard that since the shop opened in February last year, its owner Ercan Bahceci has been repeatedly visited by police who have “found something wrong every time we went there”.

She added: “It’s had nearly two years to improve, and it’s only when we go there does Mr Bahceci try and fix anything. We do not believe there is anything that can be done to stop these breaches, and as a result the licence should be revoked.”

Pc Sheppard told the panel that in July last year, a 16-year-old police cadet was sold a Bacardi Breezer by Mr Bahceci’s 16-year-old son, leading police to remind him to train his staff. In June 2010, the Acland Burghley schools officer, Pc Akan Aliriza, said the shop had sold a pupil a six-pack of beer, a claim that Mr Bahceci denied. 

Michael Shew, the former headteacher at the school, wrote to licensing chiefs calling on them to revoke the “completely inappropriate” licence. 

In April last year, licensing police officer Sgt Bob Dear wrote to Mr Bahceci warning him to comply with the rules after council enforcement officers were able to buy alcohol after hours – but Pc Sheppard claimed that since that time he has continued to breach his conditions. 

She said on that surprise visit on April 19, 2009, which prompted police to issue a closure notice, just under 20 conditions were found to be breached. 

After hearing evidence from Pc Sheppard that Mr Bahceci did not take his responsibilities seriously, Labour Councillor Thomas Gardiner asked him: “What’s your attitude to children consuming alcohol?”

Mr Bahceci replied: “I have children, my son is 16. I know it’s very important to… if my son or daughter go to different shop to get alcohol I would be very upset. I’m a family man, I’m very careful about that. One time it happened – it was a mistake.”

Labour Councillor Phil Jones said Mr Bahceci was facing a “last chance saloon” situation and had to improve, adding the only reason he didn’t revoke the licence is because a test purchase by police cadets last week was refused.

He said: “It seems there has been some genuine improvement in the way the store is now being run. This is very much last chance saloon – another review [of your licence] would result in revocation of your licence.”

Mr Bahceci’s licence was suspended for a month. He was ordered to improve his CCTV and staff training before he would be allowed to open again.