Council and Police obtain closure order on Stanton Hill Shop

Ashfield District Council and Nottinghamshire Police have sent a clear warning about the potential consequences of persistent anti-social behaviour and illegal activity by closing the Buy and Save Store in Stanton Hill.

Ashfield District Council’s Community Safety Team and Neighbourhood Policing Team obtained the order under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 following numerous reports of sale of cigarettes, alcohol and vaping products to under-age customers, and the repeated sale of illegal vaping and cannabis products. The store also sold a large kitchen knife to a child and found to have two machetes behind the counter.

This was having an adverse impact on the local community who made multiple complaints to the Council and Police. This resulted in the Community Safety Team working closely with Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire County Council’s Trading Standards Team to review resident concerns and collect evidence to support the closure of the premises. On 1st December, the order was successfully granted at Mansfield Magistrates Court subsequently resulting in the premise being closed for a period of three months, preventing visitors and sale of goods whilst a review takes place.

Councillor Helen-Ann Smith, councillor for Stanton Hill and Teversal and Executive Leader for Community Protection said,

“I was inundated with complaints from residents and I am pleased we have delivered a positive result that protects residents.  I have listened to the residents of Stanton Hill and acted to mitigate the adverse impact this was having.  In particular, the sale of illegal products to young people and weapons being stored at the property.  This is not acceptable and this result will prevent future illegal activity take place to keep the community of Stanton Hill safe.  It just goes to show that working with local residents, the Council and the Police - we can deliver results that make our area safer.”

Inspector John Hewitt, district commander for Ashfield, said:

“Thanks to its continued and reckless disregard for the law this business has sadly become a magnet for antisocial behaviour.  We have received regular complaints about this venue and have worked in partnership with colleagues at the local council and Trading Standards to take this decisive action.

“Licencing laws and other retail restrictions are there for a reason and we simply won’t tolerate people who repeatedly choose to flout them.  This business has received multiple warnings and has failed to make the changes demanded of it. I hope the decisive action we have now taken will serve as a warning to others about the consequences of such behaviour.”