A TOWN centre convenience store which lost its licence over ‘paperwork issues’ has been granted a new one.

ANJ Off Licence in Bournemouth had its licenced revoked in January following an ‘honest mistake’ by the owner.

The store, in St Michael’s Road, was told it could no longer sell alcohol or provide licensable activities.

However, its owner applied for a new licence almost immediately.

Following mediated conditions with Dorset Police and BCP Council, the application has now been granted.

This means ANJ Off Licence can sell alcohol again but with conditions, including that no sales can be made after 11pm.

The convenience store first came to the licensing authority’s attention in December last year, when Dorset Police requested a review of the licence in place there.

During ‘basic checks’ made following the review request, BCP Council discovered the company the licence was registered to had been dissolved in 2018.

The owner, Michael Sollinger, had since started a new company but hadn’t informed the licensing team.

He had 28 days to transfer the licence to the new company name, but failed to do so, explained BCP Council.

As a result of this finding, the premises licence was immediately revoked, and the Dorset Police review was dropped.

BCP Council said Michael didn’t know he had to inform anyone of the changes, and believed it was an “honest mistake” on his behalf.

The Daily Echo contacted the local authority following the grant of the new licence.

Its spokesperson responded: “Following the lapse of their previous licence, ANJ Off Licence applied for a new licence and mediated conditions with police and the council’s environmental health and trading standards teams.

"Subsequently, the premises was granted a new licence, authorising the conditional supply of alcohol, on February 13.”