The Licensing Sub-Committee is scheduled to convene to review a premises licence application. The main item on the agenda is an application for the review of the premises licence for Pamporovo, a shop located at 25 Station Road, Bognor Regis. The application for review was submitted by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards.

Here are the topics that the committee is scheduled to discuss:

Review of Premises Licence for Pamporovo

The sub-committee is scheduled to consider an application for the review of a premises licence for Pamporovo, 25 Station Road, Bognor Regis. The application was submitted by West Sussex County Council Trading Standards, who are a responsible authority under the Licensing Act 2003. According to the agenda, the application is made under section 51 of the act.

According to the Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025, the review application was received on 28 July 2025. The applicant, named in the Application for the review of a premises licence or club premises certificate under the Licensing Act 2003 as Peter Aston, Trading Standards, Team Manager, West Sussex County Council Trading Standards Service, contends that the licensing objectives have been undermined, specifically:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• The protection of children from harm
• The prevention of public nuisance

Background

The Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025 notes that Pamporovo is a grocery store that sells drinks, including alcohol, food, and vapes. The premises licence holder is Pasha Foods Bognor Ltd, who have held the licence since November 2024. The current designated premises supervisor is Lana Stirane.

The premises is licensed to supply alcohol (off sales) between 08:00 and 23:00 Monday to Saturday, and between 09:00 and 22:00 on Sundays.

Summary of Application

According to the Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025, the application from West Sussex Trading Standards is supported by additional evidence. The report states that West Sussex Trading Standards received three complaints of alleged underage sales of vapes during March and May 2025. The premises was identified as Pamporovo, previously known as Best Mini Market.

On 17 June 2025, Trading Standards Enforcement officers visited the shop to inspect vaping products and provide advice on underage sales. According to the report, officers found that the shop was not following the Challenge 25 policy¹ and had no processes in place to prevent underage sales. Officers also found 153 disposable vapes² which were still on display for sale, contrary to The Environmental Protection (Single Use Vape) (England) Regulations 2024.

On 8 July, Trading Standards Enforcement officers conducted a follow-up visit with an Arun District Council Licensing Officer. The report notes that officers remained concerned about the lack of processes to prevent underage sales and found nine further disposable vapes being offered for sale. Officers also found and seized four bottles of Arko Cologne, which contained a banned chemical, under the Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013.

The applicant is also concerned that conditions imposed at a previous premises licence review hearing have been breached by the premises licence holder.

According to the Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025, officers also found that the shop was selling drugs paraphernalia, including cannabis grinders, crack pipes, and herbal blunts.

On 9 July 2025, Trading Standards Officers conducted an underage sales test purchase using a 16-year-old volunteer, who was sold a Lost Mary 6K rechargeable vape.

On 16 July 2025, Trading Standards conducted a food inspection and found that approximately 20-30% of the food inspected had no English labelling, contrary to The Food Information Regulations 2014.

Trading Standards have quoted the Revised Guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 on protecting children from harm, stating that:

2.29 Licensing authorities should give considerable weight to representations about child protection matters.

11.28 It is envisaged that…..responsible authorities, will use the review procedures effectively to deter such activities and crime. Where reviews arise and the licensing authority determines that the crime prevention objective is being undermined through the premises being used to further crimes, it is expected that revocation of the licence – even in the first instance – should be seriously considered.

Trading Standards contend that the sale/supply of age-restricted products in these circumstances is a breach of the licensing objectives, and the licensee has failed in their responsibilities to protect children from harm. They suggest that an appropriate outcome of the review would be a revocation of the licence.

Should the members decide not to revoke the licence, Trading Standards have offered conditions, including training for staff in underage sales and a three-month suspension for changes and training to be put in place.

Responses Received and Consultation

According to the Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025, three representations were received in response to the consultation:

• Arun District Council Licensing
• West Sussex Police
• Bognor Regis Town Council

Arun District Council Licensing supports the review application by Trading Standards and their request for a revocation of the premises licence. They have concerns regarding the management of the premises and the day-to-day operations. On 30 June 2025, Arun Licensing received information that the designated premises supervisor (DPS) had left the company, and enquiries revealed that she had resigned on 20 February 2025. On 1 July 2025, Licensing Officers visited Pamporovo and found a staff member who did not speak good English and had no knowledge of the Licensing Act 2003 or the premises licence. The owner, Mr Ibrahim Muhamadi, admitted that the DPS had left the company and stated he would apply for a new DPS. Officers instructed him to cease selling alcohol until a new DPS was in place. On 8 July 2025, licensing officers visited the premises with WSCC Trading Standards Enforcement officers and found that the age verification system for age-restricted goods was not working. A check of the record of staff training and the refusals register revealed that the refusals register included an entry for a future date, and the training records were sparse. The licensing department do not believe the premises are suitable to be responsible with regard to the retail and dispensing of alcohol and concur with Trading Standards that an appropriate outcome would be a revocation of the licence.

The Police also support the review application by Trading Standards, requesting a revocation of the premises licence. They have concerns regarding the motive of the management and the operations from within the premises and do not believe the premises are suitable to be responsible with regard to the retail and dispensing of alcohol.

Bognor Regis Town Council also supports Trading Standards' suggestion that the premises licence be revoked. They describe the premises as operating in an area that has suffered from long-running antisocial behaviour often associated with street drinking.

Options Available to the Sub-Committee

According to the Licensing Sub Committee Report - Review Pamporovo - LSC 29 September 2025, the sub-committee must consider the Home Office's revised Guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Arun Statement of Licensing Policy 2020.

The options available to the committee are:

• Take no further action
• Modify conditions on the licence, including activity and opening times
• Exclude a licensable activity from the licence
• Remove the DPS on the Licence
• Suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months
• Revoke the licence

Election of Chairman

The first item on the agenda is the election of a chairman for the meeting.