The off-licence has been allowed to stay open after coming under new management, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Bush Hill Park Food and Wine Ltd (credit Google)

A young family have been “signposted” to support services by Enfield Council after it was discovered they were living in an unauthorised outbuilding behind an off-licence.

The Metropolitan Police Service found a couple with two children, aged three and four, living in an undocumented outbuilding at the rear of Bush Hill Park Food and Wine Ltd, in Main Avenue, during a search in October last year.

Despite the Met Police’s findings last year, a January inspection found that the residential amenities, including a shower and kitchenette, were still in place at the address.

Speaking recently, a spokesperson for Enfield Council said the family of four were “signposted” to the local authority’s homeless advice service for “further support and housing options”.

However, they were not deemed to be in need of emergency accommodation provided by the council.

In October, officers also seized nearly 1,000 illicit cigarettes, 34 pouches of hand roll tobacco and 46 illegal disposable vapes from the shop. During the search, staff admitted to the police that individual cigarettes were being sold illegally for 75p each.

In addition, the licence holders were found to be failing to maintain CCTV for 31 days and not maintaining proper records.

During an investigation the shop operators were found to have acted “illegally and irresponsibly” by housing the family.

However, the business, located at 47 Main Avenue, has been able to keep its doors open after a new operator took over following these incidents.

This followed a decision made by the local authority’s licensing sub-committee on Monday, 23rd March, which granted a licence to the business – on condition the former managers had no involvement going forward.

New owner Ozkan Aydemir took over the shop in February. Addressing the council’s licensing committee, his solicitor Robert Sutherland said it would be “a new regime” under Aydemir.

Due to their findings, the police had issued a closure notice to Bush Hill Park Food and Wine Ltd, but later agreed to withdraw it after meeting with Aydemir in late March.

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