Business: Halifax town centre shop loses alcohol licence after drugs found, baseball bat attack and child sold drink ended up in A and E

Calderdale councillors have agreed to revoke the premises licence – required to be able to sell alcohol - for Immy G’s in George Square.

West Yorkshire Police had called for the licence to be removed following a string of incidents involving the shop.

Coun Dan Sutherland (Lab, Illingworth and Mixenden) said the premises seemed to be a den from which young people were exploited.

“This is one of the most worrying reports I have seen at licensing committee,” he said.

Matthew Dalton, from West Yorkshire Police, outlined a string of incidents in August 2020, February 2021, September 2021, May 2022 and July 2022.

These included instances of drugs being found on the premises, the shop being linked to a bike theft, and a violent attack where a man was hit three times on the head with a baseball bat and left needing 20 staples in his head.

Mr Dalton said two “under age test” operations were run by West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS), who had received complaints about the premises.

On each occasion in October 2021 and April 2022, a child – a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old respectively – was able to buy alcohol without being challenged for identification, said Mr Dalton.

Complaints to WYTS included about alcohol and cigarettes being sold to children.

In one case, in October 2021 and where alcohol was concerned, the child ended up in A and E as a result, councillors were told.

The owner and designated premises supervisor of Immy G’s, Imtiyaz Mamaniyat, did not attend the Calderdale Council Licensing Sub-committee hearing, nor did anyone representing him.

Licensing councillors agreed with the police’s assertion, backed up by evidence from WYTS, that the nationally-set four licensing objectives – prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and protection of children from harm – were not being met by the shop.

There is a right of appeal against Calderdale Council’s decision to remove the licence.