A CONVENIENCE store in Saltaire has been given the go-ahead to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

But all sales at the renamed Saltaire Mini Market must be within the shop – rather than through a hatch overnight, after complaints about potential noise affecting nearby residents.

Bradford Council’s licensing panel heard how Bahram Bahrami took over the former Bargain Booze on Saltaire Road six months ago and has sought to transform the “booze-buster operation” into a “well-stocked shop that serves the local community”.

Mr Bahrami, who also runs similar Mini Market’s in Bingley and Saltaire, already had permission to serve alcohol at the shop for consumption off the premises from 6am to midnight.

The latest application asked to extend this from midnight until 6am – effectively allowing the store to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

While Mr Bahrami had stipulated that overnight sales would be through a service hatch, with no public access to the interior of the premises, members of the Council’s licensing panel disagreed.

Speaking at the panel on the shop’s behalf, Nick Semper of consultants The Licensing Guys, said: “Bahram Bahrami is pleased to have bought this business, a former booze-buster style operation and convert it into a busy, bustling convenience store.

“There is clear water between the previous operation and operators, and issues associated with it in the past, with the current operation.

“The current management and premises have attracted no attending from the responsible authorities since they took over.”

A total of 21 representations were made to the Council about the changes, including from two ward councillors.

They raised concerns about potential noise from customers late at night, anti-social behaviour, and increased criminal behaviour in the area.

One local resident, Sam Herring told the panel he was particularly concerned about noise generated by customers being served through the hatch once he learned that it would be located on the side of the shop facing Maddocks Street, rather than on to the main road.

Mr Semper said that they would be happy to serve inside the shop instead, but this would necessitate two members of staff being on duty instead of one, for safety reasons.

After consideration, members of the panel agreed to the variation to the licence but stipulated that all sales must be made within the premises – effectively ending the plan to utilise a serving hatch.

Other conditions around an age policy to prevent underage sales, CCTV and litter, remain in place.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

Have you got a story for us? Email newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk, contact us here, WhatsApp us on 07720403052 or call us on 01274 705292.