Tesco will meet Castletown Commissioners next month to discuss another bid by the store to get an alcohol licence for an Express store in the town’s Callow’s Yard.
Tesco requested the meeting with the authority be held this week, but cancelled and asked for a date on either June 13 or 14. The store wrote that it is ‘considering resubmitting an alcohol licence.’
The authority replied that June 13 is the best date for them.
Commissioners’ chairman Kevin Weir said: ‘We will just wait and see what they are going to say. We do not know what they want to say. We will see what comes out of it.’
The store first announced it had plans to open an Express store in Callow’s Yard in November 2011, so creating 20 jobs.
However, two bids to secure an alcohol licence – in April and October 2012 – failed.
The court said it was not satisfied there was a need for another licensed premises in the town. Tesco commissioned Ashgrove Marketing to carry out a survey to assess alcohol shopping in the south and submitted its findings to the second hearing in October. However, the court said the survey was not ‘credible evidence’, because of the ‘limited circulation’ and it did not ask the direct question whether there was a need for an additional licence.
The court was ‘shocked’ at the ratio of alcohol licences to residents in the area (one to 80 households in Castletown and Malew and one off licence per 519 Castletown residents).
Castletown Commissioners and the town’s MHK Richard Ronan expressed concern another alcohol licence would be detrimental to the town. The police raised concerns another licensed premises would attract anti social behaviour in the area.
The authority has also expressed concern in the past about the impact on established businesses in town, parking and the impact of deliveries on nearby residents.
Residents have mixed views on a Tesco Express in the town. Some are firmly in favour, saying it will add choice and create jobs; others are concerned about the impact on existing traders.