Shop plans to sell alcohol on pub crawl route

Dozens of people have opposed plans by a shop on the route of an infamous pub crawl to sell alcohol.

Forty-four residents, councillors and an MP have objected to a licence application by Otley Road Convenience Store in Headingley.

The shop is near the start of the Otley Run, which has long drawn complaints over anti-social behaviour by crowds of drinkers.

The applicant, Khabat Ahmad, submitted a document listing measures to prevent problems and under-age alcohol sales.

The Otley Run is a 19-stop pub crawl along Otley Road in Leeds.

"Runners", as they are known, travel from across the country, with many donning fancy dress as they bid to have a drink in each establishment.

Alex Sobel, Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, said granting the licence could worsen street drinking and littering caused by crowds of revellers, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

His letter said: "Individuals on the Otley Run may stop at the shop to purchase alcohol and consume it in the street, compounding existing issues."

Green Party Headingley councillor Tim Goodall also objected, along with Weetwood Labour councillors Emma Flint, Julie Heselwood and Izaak Wilson.

Goodall said people already felt unsafe from Otley runners at weekends.

He said: "I'm regularly contacted by residents who have been threatened, verbally abused and physically attacked by people participating in the Otley Run."

The Weetwood councillors said the number of people arriving for the Otley Run on Saturdays was on the increase.

They said: "This is causing issues of anti-social behaviour, on-street drinking and urinating through the daytime and evening in Weetwood and Headingley."

Residents described how pavements on Otley Road were crowded at weekends and people felt unsafe to go into the centre of town.

One said: "Coachloads of drinkers are bussed into the neighbourhood at weekends and holidays, often already drunk and determined to consume alcohol at every pub on the three-mile walk into the city centre."

Otley Road Convenience Store has applied to sell alcohol from 08:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays and 09:00 to 17:00 on Sundays.

The application said: "Staff will monitor the area immediately outside the premises on a regular basis to check for and properly dispose of any litter from the premises."

A Leeds City Council report said weekend alcohol sales could be restricted to end at midday if a licence was granted.

A licensing sub-committee will consider the application at a hearing on 21 January.

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