A HITHER Green supermarket next to a homeless hostel is being urged to drop its application to sell booze from 7am, seven days a week.

The Co-operative's bid to start selling alcohol so early in the morning is due to be heard by a Lewisham Council licensing committee on April 17.

But Lewisham central ward's Councillor Mike Harris has warned about the impact on people from Ennersdale Road's Spring Gardens, a £4m complex for the borough's homeless, run by the St Mungo's charity.

Cllr Harris said, though it was unfair that some people blamed the number of street drinkers in the area on the hostel, the store should think again.

He said: "It is beyond belief that the Co-operative, an ethical retailer, wants to sell alcohol at 7am in an area next to a homeless hostel.

"Hither Green Lane already has a problem with street drinkers which we're working hard to tackle. Selling alcohol earlier will only make matters worse."

Service manager for the St Mungo's charity which runs the hostel Vicky Tunnicliff said: "While we back local businesses, we do not support shops selling alcohol at 7am in the morning.  We hope the council considers the impact on the whole community of these sorts of licensing arrangements.

"Many of our tenants do not have issues with alcohol.  For those that do, we provide support to help them manage their drinking or stay sober, and continue their recovery from homelessness."

She added: "It is very difficult for anybody with a drinking problem to get better when cheap alcohol is made so readily available. 

"We remain convinced that bringing in a minimum unit price is a necessity to make a real difference to those who lives are blighted by alcohol."

A spokeswoman for the supermarket said the licensing hours would only increase by one per day, in line with its opening times.

She said: "We adopt a responsible approach to the sale of alcohol at all of our stores. As a community retailer, the opinions of local residents are very important to us, and all our members of staff are carefully trained in relation to the sale of age-restricted products."