RESIDENTS living near a petrol station have objected to an application to allow it to sell alcohol 24/7, fearing it will cause anti-social behaviour.

The new owners of Probus School Filling Station have changed the opening hours from 7am to 9pm to 24 hours daily to the dismay of people who live near the business.

Samy Investments Limited has applied to Cornwall Council for the variation of its premises licence, which would also include late-night food and drink between 11pm and 5am seven days a week.

The Birmingham-based company bought the filling station on Fore Street in the village in September. The business, located just off the A390 near Truro, had been in the family of Shaun and Vicky Poore for more than 66 years. The couple decided to sell the filling station and its large shop to enjoy retirement.

A sign on the door of the business, which now includes a Morrisons Daily store, says it is open 24 hours and includes a ‘polite notice’ saying “please respect our neighbours. You are requested to keep noise to a minimum when leaving these premises.”

Devon and Cornwall Police have asked for a further condition to be added if the change is approved.

A licensing officer for the force wrote to the council’s licensing department stating: “As this is an existing service station that wishes to operate as a 24-hour a day premises, selling alcohol and late night refreshment, we believe that a further condition should be added to the premises licence to protect staff working late at night/in the early hours of the morning from persons who may attend the premises to simply attempt to purchase alcohol who may already be intoxicated. Either two members of staff should be employed or service should be via a night hatch.”

Eight residents of Probus have written to Cornwall Council objecting to the variation of the licence.

Their comments include: “There have already been multiple recorded incidents of antisocial behaviour in Fore Street and I am extremely concerned that permitting alcohol to be purchased from the filling station throughout the night would increase the potential for further antisocial behaviour in the area.

“The proposed 24-hour alcohol availability would mean alcohol could be purchased at any time during the night and early morning, when there are fewer people and less supervision in the village.

“There is also a covered bus shelter situated near the filling station. I am very concerned that this could become a convenient gathering point for groups purchasing alcohol from the filling station, particularly during the late evening and early hours of the morning. This creates a foreseeable risk of groups drinking, noise, disorder, litter and antisocial behaviour in extremely close proximity to residential properties.”

“Extending alcohol sales to 24 hours could increase the number of people using and congregating around the premises during the night and create additional risks to pedestrians, residents and other road users.”

“I have lived in the village all my life and have always known the garage to close at around 8pm. This has worked perfectly well for many years. It is already difficult for us that the opening hours have been extended to 11pm and I feel that extending these hours further to 24 hours a day would be unreasonable for those of us living immediately opposite the premises.”

“While I understand the need for local refuelling facilities during standard daytime and evening hours, extending this operation to a 24/7 schedule will cause significant harm to the surrounding residential community and is entirely unnecessary and inappropriate in such a rural village setting.

“The intensive, high-lumen security and canopy lighting required for safe night-time operation will shine directly into nearby residential windows, severely impacting sleep quality and the character of the neighbourhood. There is a row of cottages directly opposite the petrol station who will be deeply affected.”

“Probus is part of a pilot of turning off street lights at midnight. What’s the point of that when light pollution from Probus Garage is flooding properties around it?”

“We do not feel that there is any necessity to have a 24hrs alcohol licence. There is already a pub and social club where alcohol can be bought and consumed in the village, alongside the garage and another local shop that serves alcohol during the day. I have concerns that a 24hr alcohol licence will increase the chances of drink driving in a residential area, alongside an increase of alcohol-fuelled unsafe antisocial behaviour within the village.”

The proposal will be decided by a Cornwall Council licensing committee on Wednesday, November 4.