Police express concern over Ilkeston off-licence plans to buy cheaper alcohol to make a profit

Tuesday, 21 October 2025 12:15

By Eddie Bisknell - Local Democracy Reporting Service

The Ilkeston Store off-licence in Bath Street, Ilkeston. Image from Eddie Bisknell.

Concerns have been raised by police over plans from a Derbyshire off-licence to buy cheaper alcohol from the Birmingham area in order to make a profit.

Documents published by Erewash Borough Council ahead of a licensing hearing next week detail an alcohol licence application for Ilkeston Store in Bath Street, Ilkeston.

The application, from Balvinder Singh, the shop’s owner, comes five months after a previous application, from employee Gagandeep Singh, was rejected by borough councillors due to numerous illegal sales, licensing breaches and “criminality”.

Derbyshire Police, in a statement written by PC Jacob Callow, said that Balvinder Singh had advised the force that the new application was for a “completely new business” unaffiliated with the previous application and Gagandeep Singh.

However, when PC Callow visited the store two hours later he found Gagandeep sitting behind the counter.

At a further meeting with both Balvinder and Gagandeep, police said: “Balvinder admitted that the business was not currently making much money as it was only selling chocolate and sweets. 

“He admitted that he was not spending much time at the premises due to it not being very profitable. 

“This was something which would change, if the premises obtained its Premises Licence. Balvinder stated that he intended to buy alcohol from the Birmingham area, where he could source it much cheaper than the local area. He would then ship it to the Ilkeston Store and sell it for a profit.”

Police advised Balvinder that he could consider not selling super strength beers and ciders and not selling single serve cans to act as a disincentive to known issues with street drinkers.

PC Callow detailed: “As a licensing enforcement officer, I came away from the meeting concerned that there had not been sufficient change since the first application made in April 2025. 

“Balvinder Singh had admitted that the premises was under his control at the time of the three incidents, which had been the basis for objection for the first application. 

“In addition, it also concerned me what alcohol could be bought for so much cheaper in the Birmingham area, which would warrant transporting to Ilkeston, to turn a profit. 

“I am aware of the struggles they have with the local street drinkers. This is an issue that causes significant anti-social behaviour in the area, which leads to criminality and has a detrimental effect on the local community and its business. 

“I believe that if this premises was granted a premises licence it would hinder the efforts made by the safer neighbourhood team and undermine the licensing objectives.”

Meanwhile, Sally Bevan, a borough council environmental health officer, wrote that a visit to the site in October found a fold-up camp bed, a mattress and quilt in the back of the store, but was advised by Gagandeep Singh that nobody was sleeping there.

She wrote that a previous visit by a colleague in September had followed a complaint about a man sleeping in the shop at night and possible sales of illicit products.

The colleagues also found a mattress in the property, along with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

In the borough council’s previous rejection of a premises licence for the store, councillors had been told that the borough’s licensing manager had discovered the shop selling alcohol without a premises licence – which is a crime – when she was walking home from work.

Derbyshire Police and Derbyshire County Council’s trading standards teams had raised concerns over “further criminality” continuing, with the store owner having been caught selling a vape to an underage child during a test purchase operation.

Meanwhile, illicit tobacco was found under the till, alcoholic spirits were found in the rear of the store and further alcohol – 50 cans of beer – were found in a van to the back of the shop.

Police officials said the sale of illicit tobacco was often linked to organised crime and human trafficking and feared the shop risked bringing down the reputation of law-abiding shops in the area.

Gagandeep Singh has apologised for operating without a premises licence but felt the rejection of the application was “really unfair”.

Councillors felt there was a “real risk that if a licence was granted, children may be at harm from the sale of alcohol or tobacco products and that illegal activity would continue into the future”.

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