Mini Market stripped of alcohol licence by Bradford Council

The alcohol licence for 24 Hour Angel Store on Little Horton Lane was revoked by Bradford Council’s Licensing Panel after members heard that the store had been found selling counterfeit tobacco and employing an illegal worker.

The meeting took an unexpected turn when the store’s licence holder accused Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Trading Standards of selling illegal tobacco to Bradford shops. He also claimed his shop was only doing the same as many other shops in the city.

The store’s licence had previously been revoked in October 2023 due to the sale of counterfeit tobacco.

However, a new licence was granted by Bradford Council to Kadir Beshafa last December.

Trading Standards had called for another review of the store’s licence after a test purchase in February, just a few weeks after the new licence was granted.

An undercover officer asked for a cheap 20 pack of Lambert and Butler, and was told it would cost £3.50 – way below the £12 retail price.

A runner apparently working for the store fetched the suspiciously cheap cigarettes from a car parked near the store.

Two days later, officers returned to the store, and this time searched the car parked outside. They found a large amount of counterfeit tobacco, and a man sitting inside. When this man was quizzed, he denied any knowledge of the illegal cigarettes, and said he had only been instructed to sit inside the car.

The counterfeit tobacco seized was worth around £12,000.

Trading standards called for the shop to have its alcohol licence reviewed – arguing the counterfeit products showed Mr Beshafa was not a responsible licence holder.

24 Hour Angel Store (Image: T&A)

The Home Office supported the licence review, writing to Bradford Council to say an illegal worker had been found at the store in June 2023.

The letter said Mr Beshafa had claimed the illegal worker was only watching the store while he was out. He said he was not paying the worker, but occasionally giving him some hot food.

Dave Mullings, of Trading Standards, said Beshafa had been the director of the business at the time it had its licence revoked in 2023. He added: “Because of this, he is probably aware of the requirements of the licensing act.” 

After detailing what happened and what was seized during the test purchase, Mr Mullins said: “We have continued to receive intelligence the store is dealing in illicit tobacco.

“The licence holder has shown a blatant disregard for the law and the licensing act.”

When he was being grilled by members of the panel about the illegal worker, Mr Beshafa accused Trading Standards of selling seized cigarettes back to shops.

He said: “They are taking cigarettes and selling them back to people – I have proof of that.

“I know people who say ‘I buy it from the Council.’ “Everyone is selling this stuff – all of Bradford is selling this. Other shops are selling this. If you don’t sell this, what can you do?”

He went on to say that despite being the licence holder for the shop – he was not the owner. He told councillors he let his friend Ali Zawah use his licence, and he only worked in the store.

When the chair asked if the Council’s legal officer Robert Brown had any questions for Mr Beshafa, Mr Brown said: “I don’t know where to start.

“What is your current involvement in this business?”

Mr Beshafa said: “I just work there – the shop is using my licence.”

Mr Brown said: “Why did you apply for a licence if you just work there?”

Mr Beshafa replied: “He is my friend.”

The panel questioned why he went from being a director of the business until 2023 to just working there.

There was no clear answer.

Mr Mullins said: “From what we’ve heard, he’s the licence holder of the shop, but not actually involved in any role other than being an employee. That would suggest he’s not taking the level of responsibility a licence holder should take.”

After a brief deliberation, the panel voted to revoke the store’s licence.