Northampton shop in residential street seeks new permission to sell alcohol

The owner of a convenience store in a Northampton residential street has faced objections from neighbours over an application for a new premises licence.

Nadia Lincoln Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 29th May 2026 11:01am

Shreeji Grocery at 45 – 47 Landcross Drive, Northampton, went before West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) earlier this week to request permission to sell alcohol from 7am to 11pm daily.

The authority’s licensing team has received 20 objections from local residents in the area, citing concerns about public safety, the prevention of crime and disorder, public nuisance and protecting children from harm. No other statutory consultees, including police, trading standards and WNC environmental protection, submitted objections.

Appealing to the licensing panel of three WNC councillors, which took place on Wednesday (May 27), local resident Guilio Grosso said: “We want all businesses to thrive in this town. Were this location to be on a high street, I think there would be no considerations because we understand what a high street is there for.

“It is a residential area; widening the opportunity for potential abuse of alcohol and associated behaviours is really unacceptable. You’ve got families living on this street, families with young children.

“You can have the best intentions, but you will not curb anti-social behaviour at night. If the businesses can curtail their business to 9 o’clock that would be a win for everybody.”

Landcross Drive resident Ian Jackson agreed, telling the panel that he used the grocery store and hoped for its success, but that he could not support the sale of alcohol late at night.

“That is my biggest concern, is that if you’re going to be selling alcohol until 11 o’clock at night you’re going to have numerous cars turning up, doors slamming, stereos playing, people talking, people coming from the park on a summer’s night,” he said.

“We just want to eliminate that completely after 9 o’clock. There are plenty of high street locations you can go and get alcohol at that time.

“We’re a very quiet little suburb road. We just don’t need that and it will be a problem, I can guarantee it.”

Neighbours also highlighted the existing off-licence and Post Office at the end of the parade, which already sells alcohol, and questioned why the area needed another store in such close proximity that would be selling alcohol for longer hours.

The shop has said it will primarily provide a range of everyday grocery items and alcohol will form a ‘secondary part of the business’.

A representative of the convenience store at the licensing meeting said they were willing to look at the sale and opening times and work constructively with the local community, adding that they would consider closing by 9pm.

“We also consider that we are not a pub or a bar, we are a grocery so we don’t sell any of the alcohol we don’t allow to consume within the premises. They can buy and then take home,” he added.

The steps the sub-committee can take are to grant the licence subject to conditions and set licensable hours, exclude a licensable activity, or fully reject the application.

A decision must be made by the sub-committee within the period of five working days.

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