Do you have any idea the of the hoops you have to jump through in LB Hounslow to get a liquor licence, not to mention the expense! Most struggling business would be put out of business before achieving it. I say this because my nephew has 7 delis, 2 in Hammersmith & Fulham, 3 in Ealing and 2 in Hounslow and 6 of which currently have liquor licences. The requirements in every borough have been different and the costs have escalated with each new shop. Hounslow being the latest and the most unreasonable to date. The demands of the police and fire authorities and the expense already undertaken (the last shop cost over £120,000 to to fit out - this did not include stock) are prohibitive particularly in the present economic climate and the list of additional requirements simply grows with every jobswsorth that shows up to inspect it. Strangely his other shop in Hounslow has never even had a visit, Hammersmith & Fulham's demands were the least and Ealing is cottening on and becoming more bizarre. The point is what each borough wants seems to vary quite dramatically. There seems to be no uniformity. The demands made by individual councils on the grounds of Health & Safety, security etc., seem to be spiralling and it's therefore no wonder high streets are derelict with and shops closing. My nephews took on a derelict shop in Hounslow at a high premium, spent (as I said above) approx £120,000 bringing it up to scratch and are still being hounded by one department or other demanding anything from fire proof letter boxes to individual panic buttons and this is evidently all part of the process to obtain a liquor licence.
Bernadette Paul ● 5925d