A SHOPKEEPER has been told he cannot sell alcohol as it might attract louts into Bury town centre.

Mebratom Yohannes asked Bury Council if can sell alcohol from Ethane Convenience Store in Bolton Street, Bury from 9am to midnight daily.

Bury licensing panel hearing rejected the application after a two-hour hearing at the town hall last Thursday.

Mr Yohannes said he wanted to give his customers a wider choice of goods to buy and that he did not intend to sell alcohol to anyone who was looking to make trouble.

He added: "I am trying to run a business and offer my customers more products. Supermarkets are allowed to do it, so it is only fair that my shop should too."

However, Bury police expressed concerns that it could lead to crime, disorder and public nuisance, while Bury Safeguarding Panel claimed it could endanger children as it would be difficult to ensure under-age customers would not be served alcohol.

The panel's chairman, Cllr David Jones, said: "The applicant told us his intention was to run the shop himself from 9am to midnight every day.

"Aside from any issues related to employment law, we felt it would be a challenge for him to handle situations whereby groups might come in and become aggressive."

Mohammed Aslam, the manager of KB News two doors down from Ethane Convenience Store said: "If the shop was allowed to sell alcohol, you would have to have a policemen there constantly.

"You cannot sell alcohol at shops right in the town centre. It encourages louts to loiter around outside."

Cllr Jones said: "One police officer said certain things act as a draw for child sexual exploitation and one of those is town-centre shops selling alcohol."

The head of Bury Pubwatch, Lorraine Beckett-Murray said: "It is concerning that Mr Yohannes has no experience of running a licensed premises.

"Selling alcohol from the shop would lead to groups of youths drinking in alleyways, causing problems for others, putting them off coming to the town centre at night."

Cllr Jones said the panel felt Mr Yohannes did not explain in his application how he planned to prevent, and deal with, potential problems related to aggressive behaviour of customers.