An alcohol licence for a Norwich shop has been refused amid fears it would add to ongoing anti-social behaviour problems in the area.

The Magdalen Road Convenience Store in Norwich was refused the licence after an objection was put into Norwich City Council from the police stating that giving the application holder, Karwan Sabir, 41, of Magdalen Road, the licence would 'undermine the crime prevention objective'.

The city council licensing committee heard how Magdalen Road is already an area of anti-social behaviour.

Trading standards officer Vicky Canton said that on a visit to the store on June 2, it was found to already be selling alcohol without a licence.

There was confusion in the meeting about who owns the store and why Mr Sabir was applying for the licence.

The confusion was caused because Mr Sabir was not intending to own the store after the licence was granted. Mr Sabir was seeking the licence so when he sold the store he would be able to transfer it to the new owner.

After a discussion between the councillors it was decided to refuse Mr Sabir's request due to him not being the appropriate person to hold the licence as he had no interest in running the store.

Speaking to the committee, legal representative David Lowen said there were concerns from the police and trading standards that Mr Sabir had failed to exercise public control and peace and therefore it would not be right to support that the licence be granted.

Mr Sabir, who was originally from Kyrgyzstan and has lived in Norwich for 20 years, said: 'This is very bad.

'All my life I have worked to open that [store] 20 years I have made money to have the business and now the council has just closed it just like that.

'I am in serious trouble now, I will now have to close the shop today and I don't know what to do.

'All of 20 years I have been a transport supervisor and a fork lift driver. I have done many jobs to build my life up and now the council have taken that away.

'As soon as I close the shop I will be losing money for months, I have lost everything - some things happened at the store I was not aware of.'

Mr Sabir can appeal to the magistrates court within the next 28 days.