The store, in Market Parade, off Forest Road, will become Gro Green, selling a range of international foods, beers and wines, and organic produce, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
A Walthamstow furniture shop is set to become an off-licence and grocery store.
The store, in Market Parade, off Forest Road, will become Gro Green, selling a range of international foods, beers and wines, and organic produce.
It will be open from 6am until midnight, while alcohol will be on sale between 6.30am and 11.30pm.
The change is set to go ahead after operator Hasan Kepez successfully applied to Waltham Forest Council for permission to sell alcohol.
The decision was referred to the licensing committee, made up of elected councillors, after three residents objected.
They said that antisocial behaviour was a “common” problem in Forest Road and stemmed from drinking.
Alcohol is “easy to obtain” in the area, they said, and was already having a detrimental effect on locals’ lives. They pointed to frequent police call-outs and fights they had witnessed in a series of letters submitted to the council.
At a meeting on Thursday (5th January), Baran – speaking on behalf of his father – said the area “needed” a local supermarket and the sale of alcohol was a “secondary” concern of the business.
He said a new shop would “brighten” the area after dark and new CCTV cameras would monitor the streets. Additionally, around ten workers would be on the premises at any one time, which he said would further deter antisocial behaviour.
Staff would also clean up litter and refuse service to intoxicated customers.
Despite their objections, no residents attended the hearing. The licence was granted after a brief deliberation by councillors.
In order to uphold public safety and prevent disorder, the operators have been ordered to keep an incident log book, put up signage asking customers to be quiet and respect neighbours, and keep staff trained on the Challenge 25 scheme.
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