A shop in Weston-super-Mare has been ordered to shut down for three months after repeatedly selling illegal tobacco and vaping products to underage customers. Avon and Somerset Police issued the closure order against Weston Supermarket on St James Street following a joint investigation with North Somerset Council’s Trading Standards team.
The investigation uncovered that the store was not only selling illicit tobacco and vapes to the public but that these products were also being sold directly to children, raising serious health concerns. In one alarming incident, a woman fell ill after trying a sample vape from the shop on March 21. Police subsequently arrested a 20-year-old man at the premises, charging him with administering a noxious substance and drug supply offences.
PC Anna Rees of the Weston-super-Mare Neighbourhood Policing Team highlighted the risks involved: “Weston Supermarket repeatedly sold illicit vapes and tobacco to the public, including children. This closure order follows extensive evidence gathering and is a necessary step to protect public health and safety.”
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Cllr James Clayton, North Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, praised the collaborative effort to enforce the closure and emphasized the challenge of the current legislation. He indicated ongoing discussions with local MPs to push for laws that allow quicker and more effective closures of problematic premises.
“Illegal sales of tobacco and vaping products will not be tolerated in North Somerset,” Cllr Clayton stated, urging landlords to remain vigilant about who they lease their retail spaces to.
This decisive action underscores the commitment of local authorities to safeguarding the health of their community, particularly vulnerable young people, from harmful illegal substances.