A BEXLEYHEATH off-license owner has been refused permission to sell alcohol for longer hours because Bexley Council believe he is not up to the job.

Ramachadran Anpalakan, licensee of Mayplace Food and Wine in Midfield Parade, applied to sell alcohol seven days a week between 6am and midnight.

Previously, his store could only offer alcoholic products for sale between 10:30am and 10pm.

The council’s licensing sub committee rejected his application on Wednesday (August 29), taking into account a 182-signature petition opposing the extended opening hours.

The decision read: “Mr Anpalakan has been in breach of a large number of the conditions since he has opened the business, including employing a member of staff who has made an underage sale in July.

“We are concerned that, by his own admission, he has failed to train his staff adequately or indeed that he has the necessary understanding of licensing to do so.”

Mr Anpalakan has 21 days to appeal the decision.