A businessman has re-opened a Norwich convenience store despite neighbours objecting over the late-night sale of alcohol and possible disturbance from revellers.
Nareshkumar Kanthasamy, who in his spare time is also a model and actor, faced a barrage of criticism from people living near Tudor Stores on Rose Lane with a petition of almost 100 names calling for Norwich City Council to refuse his bid for a licence.
Mr Kanthasamy had originally applied to open the store, which closed earlier this year, until 2am Sunday-Thursday and until 4am at the weekends. He has now amended the times to gain the licence, agreeing to open until 11pm Monday-Wednesday and until 1am only on Thursday-Saturday, closing on Sundays. His licence also forbids him from selling single cans of beer.
He told this newspaper: "I was disappointed at first about not being able to sell single cans of beer because other outlets everywhere else close to Tudor Stores can do this but overall I am happy with the decision. I'm not upset at all about the objections; I don't take it personally and I am just happy to be open."
It's the first shop for Mr Kanthasamy, who used to run a cash and carry business in Norwich. He has taken a 10-year lease for £8,500 a year with a private landlord who owns the building which dates to the late Tudor period. This is unlike its neighbour, 'Tudor Hall,' now converted into apartments and formerly the Peppermint Park nightclub which was built much later, between 1898-1900.
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Tudor Stores has been a newsagents for decades, and a shop before that and many people will remember it housing the English Sweet Shop and displaying dozens of jars of boiled candies in the window.
Now it has been given a new look with a newly painted exterior and signage and inside, a rearrangement with the cash till now positioned on the left. Being en route for people going to and from the railway station and in and out of the city centre as well as close to apartments and businesses, makes it a prime business spot.
The objections raised were from people worried about noise and disturbance from revellers able to buy alcohol in the early hours as well as stating the petrol station opposite served the same purpose. "It seems preposterous that Norwich City Council would even consider it necessary to give a licence out to yet another commercial premises slap bang in the middle of our residential homes," one person stated at the time the matter was debated by the council in July.
The petition also objected to noise from the nearby Rooftop Gardens, at the Union Building on Rose Lane and from the Last Pub Standing, on King Street.
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