Alcohol licences should be restricted

I just cannot understand how the Orchard Grocer Shop in St Margarets Road in Whitnash can get a licence to sell alcohol when there is an off-licence just a few doors away (Courier last week). On the one hand we have the Government trying to stop binge drinking and our council giving out licences to all and sundry.

Alcohol should be only sold in public houses and off-licences with no one under 16 allowed in them, also only being open certain hours.

There are seven retail outlets in St Margarets Road, two belong to Orchard Grocer who covers the pavement with plants and flowers and I feel that this is partly why Jackie the Florist closed down.

Then the owner started selling newspapers, I guess he is hoping the newsagent will close also.

Now he has a licence to sell alcohol, could it be that he wants the off -licence to close as well?

Looking to the future could it be his intention to start selling fresh meat and fish and chips with a corner of his shop prepared to do hair cutting to put these other shops out of business and thereby have the monopoly in St Margarets Road? I do not consider this to be good business practice or very neighbourly. - Michael Costello. Whitnash, via email.