Licensing board cites local overprovision and harm indicators
A convenience store and takeaway on Broad Street, Peterhead, has had its application for a provisional premises licence refused after licensing officials said the town already has too many outlets selling alcohol. Aberdeenshire Council’s licensing standards team told the board it could not support the request because Peterhead has been identified as an area of overprovision for off-sales premises.
The premises, which opened last month and operates as a combined hot-food takeaway branded as Big Manny’s Pizza alongside a convenience shop, applied for an off-sales licence through Akil Retail Ltd. The applicant, who operates the site as a predominantly food-led business, also offers home deliveries through an app, with pizza orders prepared and delivered within an hour.
Licensing standards officer Kevin MacDonald said the operator’s intention to sell some alcohol alongside its food offering did not change the fact the application was for an off-sales licence. Because of Peterhead’s designation, the officer said he was unable to support the proposal.
"The licence is intended to support a predominantly food-led takeaway and local convenience business, with alcohol available only as an ancillary customer choice to accompany food purchases and takeaway pizza delivery services."
The comment above was made by the applicant’s agent, Gordon Emslie, when he addressed the virtual meeting of the Aberdeenshire Licensing Board on behalf of the business owner. Mr Emslie told the board his client acknowledged the town’s overprovision status but argued the application was not a conventional bid to operate an alcohol-led retail outlet.
Mr Emslie also informed the board that the business owner had invested more than £300,000 in the project and employed 14 people across the week to service the takeaway and shop. Those figures were put to the licensing board as evidence of the premises’ role in the local economy and job market.
Council evidence: availability, harm and deprivation
In advising against the licence, Aberdeenshire Council highlighted several factors used to determine overprovision in the town, including:
- Higher-than-average alcohol availability through numerous off-sales premises;
- Indicators of increased risk of harm associated with alcohol;
- Reportedly significant levels of deprivation and crime in the area;
- Elevated rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions.
Those considerations form part of the local licensing policy framework used by the board when assessing new applications. Where an area is designated as overprovided, licensing officers recommend refusal unless an applicant can demonstrate exceptional circumstances to justify an additional off-sales outlet.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Investment in project | £300,000 (as stated by agent) |
| Employees | 14 staff (as stated by agent) |
| Location | Broad Street, Peterhead |
The refusal illustrates the tension between supporting local businesses and managing public health and crime concerns shaped by alcohol availability. For businesses seeking to combine food-led services with ancillary alcohol sales, the designation means additional hurdles when applying for off-sales licences in Peterhead.
For residents, the decision may be welcomed by those concerned about alcohol-related harm and the concentration of off-sales premises in the town. Conversely, the refusal will be a setback for the operator, who has argued the business is primarily a takeaway and convenience outlet providing local jobs and investment.
Any applicant refused by the licensing board may seek to submit further evidence or modify proposals to address the concerns raised by licensing officers. The board’s determination underlines the local authority’s current approach to alcohol licensing in Peterhead, where preventing increased availability of alcohol in the community is being prioritised by licensing officials.
As licensing matters progress, local businesses and community groups will be watching to see whether this decision sets a precedent for similar applications across the town.
