A Bridgwater sweet shop in the town centre has been granted a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, despite being located in an area known for antisocial behaviour.
The Sweet Box, owned by Jeyatheepan Navaratnarajah, operates at 30 Cornhill, adjacent to Bridgwater’s Prezzo restaurant and situated along both the Celebration Mile and the Bridgwater Carnival procession route. Mr Navaratnarajah sought permission to sell alcohol until 11 pm daily, sparking strong opposition from Avon and Somerset Constabulary as well as Bridgwater Town Council.
Both bodies highlighted concerns about the Cornhill area’s reputation as an antisocial behaviour hotspot. Bridgwater Town Council warned that introducing another licensed premises could worsen local crime and disorder. Avon and Somerset police echoed these worries, emphasizing that an 11 pm closing time might exacerbate street drinking and theft, particularly from intoxicated individuals leaving nearby late-night venues. They also criticized the lack of proposed measures to manage conflict, drunkenness, or street drinking on the application.
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Despite these objections, Somerset Council’s licensing sub-committee north voted narrowly—two in favour, one against—to grant the licence. The committee cited an absence of concrete evidence linking the licence to increased crime, noting that other nearby stores also hold alcohol licences with similar or later hours.
Representing the applicant, Suresh Kanupathi argued the location was manageable due to Mr Navaratnarajah’s prior experience operating a petrol station licensed to sell alcohol under challenging conditions. He assured the committee that The Sweet Box would not sell single cans of beer or high-strength alcohol above 6.5%, with alcohol accounting for no more than 20% of total sales and all products kept behind the counter to prevent self-service.
The council attached strict conditions to the licence, including mandatory CCTV installation, staff training, prohibiting alcohol sales before 10 am, and limiting the alcohol strength sold. Voting in favour were Councillors Marcus Kravis and Martin Lovell, with Councillor Brian Smedley opposing the decision.
In a joint statement, the licensing sub-committee acknowledged the existing problems of street drinking and antisocial behaviour but concluded that denying the licence would not resolve these issues. The decision sets a precedent for alcohol sales in a sensitive area, balancing community concerns with business interests.