The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee of Newham Council met to consider an application for the review of the premises licence for Euromix, located at 107 Leytonstone Road, Stratford, E15 1JA. After hearing evidence and representations, the committee decided to suspend the licence for three months and imposed a set of conditions.

Review of Premises Licence for Euromix, 107 Leytonstone Road, Stratford

The primary focus of the meeting was the review of the premises licence for Euromix, an off-licence and convenience store. The application for review was brought by the Trading Standards Team, citing grounds related to the prevention of crime and disorder.

Trading Standards Officer George McDougal presented a detailed account of repeated instances of the sale of illicit cigarettes at the premises between February 2024 and September 2025. These included multiple test purchases using underage individuals, the discovery of a large quantity of illicit cigarettes in a safe, and a general lack of cooperation from the premises' management with Trading Standards investigations. Mr. McDougal highlighted that illicit cigarettes are often counterfeit, untaxed, and can contain harmful substances, posing risks to public health and undermining legitimate businesses. He argued that the premises had failed to uphold the licensing objective of preventing crime and disorder.

Representing the licence holder, Eugenijus Kleinovas, and the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Graham Hopkins, argued that Mr. Kleinovas had no personal involvement in the sale of illicit cigarettes and did not profit from them. He stated that a former staff member was responsible for bringing and selling these items. Mr. Hopkins explained that Mr. Kleinovas had been experiencing significant health issues during the period in question, which had impacted his ability to manage the business effectively and respond to communications from Trading Standards. He also noted that the current licence holder, Iveta Kleinoviene, who is Mr. Kleinovas's wife, had recently passed her personal licence test and was in the process of becoming the DPS.

To address the issues raised, the licence holder's representative proposed a series of additional conditions. These included purchasing cigarettes only from reputable wholesalers, keeping invoices for at least a year, not purchasing from cold callers, storing cigarettes in a locked drawer rather than under the counter, and ensuring that any staff member found with illicit cigarettes would face disciplinary action, including dismissal. Crucially, the representative stated that the licence holder was prepared to cease selling all tobacco products entirely to prevent any recurrence of the problem.

Following deliberation, the Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee, chaired by Councillor Tonii Wilson, decided to suspend the premises licence for Euromix for a period of three months. The committee also imposed a set of conditions, the details of which will be specified in the formal decision letter. The parties involved were informed of their right to appeal the decision to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days.