THE former manager of a Burnley convenience store stripped of its licence to sell alcohol says he plans to appeal the decision.

Top Shop, formerly Zee’s Convenience Store, in Thurston Street, was stripped of its premises licence after an investigation by the county council’s trading standards service and Lancashire police found counterfeit tobacco and alcohol was being sold there.

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Burnley Borough Council’s licensing committee heard how smuggled and counterfeit tobacco and alcohol had been sold or seized at the store on 14 occasions since 2009, resulting in five separate convictions for the shop’s now former owner, Zia Aslam.

County Councillor Lorraine Beavers, the county council’s lead member for health, said: “Criminal activity is treated particularly seriously when it happens in licensed premises, and our trading standards service has been proactive in working with the police to tackle it. Top Shop has proved to be a persistent offender and should not be surprised to lose their alcohol licence.”

Responding to the accusations The committee was told that an application had been made to transfer the premises licence to Mr Aslam’s wife who had taken steps to beef up procedures and improve staff monitoring.

References were also produced from residents in support of their local store.

And Mr Aslam, who is now an employee of the business, said the decision was harsh and they were intending to appeal.

Mr Aslam said: “We are not happy with the decision they have made. We were quite shocked with the outcome. I haven’t been the best of people in the past but for the last two years I have been squeaky clean. All the residents have backed me up.

A council spokesman said as well as contravening the Prevention of Crime and Disorder licensing objective, the shop was accused of failing the Protection of Children from Harm objective after an audit, conducted in July this year, uncovered serious shortcomings in procedures designed to prevent underage sales.