A Woodley convenience store accused of selling alcohol to a 12-year-old girl and possessing counterfeit vodka has had its licence revoked.
Kulbir Singh Kapoor was subject to a premises licence review at Wokingham borough council last week for Brecon Food and Wine in The Parade, Brecon Road.
The review was requested by Trading Standards from the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) after evidence was found of the sale of age-restricted products to children, the sale of illicit e-cigarettes, counterfeit vodka and the possessing of duty-evaded alcohol.
In October 2024, 16 bottles of Glens Vodka were seized, which were found to be injurious to health. A further 12 bottles of Smirnoff Vodka were seized and found to have no duty paid.
Thames Valley Police (TVP) said they had received two reports of incidents involving the sale of products to a 12-year-old child in April, and to a 14-year-old child in January 2023.
Glenda Cameron-Lloyd from the PPP told a panel of Wokingham borough councillors: “A clear picture is presented of the management and operation of the business failing to comply with expectations in the law.”
Mr Kapoor was accused of breaking licensing objections of preventing crime and disorder, public safety and protecting children from harm.
A letter informing Mr Kapoor of the premises review and allegations was sent on April 11 – some 12 days before a staff member allegedly sold vodka and vapes to a 12-year-old girl.
Mr Kapoor said he was ‘not aware’ of this incident.
Gary Clarke from Thames Valley Police said this “.. clearly highlights the lack of due diligence by the business”.
Mr Kapoor said he had bought the product from a man who claimed his shop was closing down, but that he “immediately” removed the stock after bottles were seized.
His solicitor, Surendra Panchal, argued for a short suspension of the licence, with conditions, such as CCTV and a Challenge 25 policy, added once reopened.
But licensing officers and the Police said these conditions were already in place – just not formally on the licence – leading councillors to question how it would improve the situation.
Cllr Rebecca Margetts said: “You’re not actually addressing the actual issue of what’s going on here.
“You can record the practice – but that’s not actually stopping the practice that’s going on, which is happening from the actual staff within the shops.”
Mr Panchal said the store is “.. a critical source of income for Mr Kapoor and his family”, and said revoking the licence would “cause severe economic hardship”.
Cllrs Rob Comber, Stephen Newton and Rebecca Margetts, members of the licensing committee, decided to revoke the licence in full.
