A CONVENIENCE store twice caught selling alcohol to children has had its old licensing hours restored after coming under new ownership.

Moordown Post Office Food & Wine received fines and sanctions after selling a vodka-based drink to a 14-year-old girl in 2009, and again in 2013 for serving a 15-year-old.

This saw the Wimborne Road shop's premises licence scaled back, only allowing alcohol sales until 6.30pm between Mondays and Saturdays, and until 2.30pm on Sundays.

But new proprietor Alpeshukumar Patel asked the authority to reinstate the previous hours, which allowed alcohol to be sold until 11pm six days a week and until 10.30pm on Sundays.

And at Bournemouth council’s April licensing board meeting, councillors agreed to restore the old licence.

This was despite the owner of nearby Moordown Newsagents, Burhan Kircal, objecting to the plans on the basis that there are already an adequate amount of licensed premises in the area.

Meeting chairman Cllr Andrew Morgan urged the two businesses to be neighbourly towards each other as he approved the new licensing hours.

He added: “It is very important, given the history of these premises, that you never again become associated with selling alcohol to children, either directly or indirectly.”