Knives that were found behind a counter at a convenience store in Reading were used to cut fruit.
The owners of the King Food & Wine store got in trouble with licensing officers after single knives were discovered during three different inspections.
Staff at the store have sold alcohol from 7am to 11pm each day since it opened in Spring 2024, replacing the Pack & Send business in Kings Road.
But licensing officers from Reading Borough Council and a Thames Valley Police officer called for alcohol sales to be banned, which was discussed at a council meeting.
The presence of the knives was justified as tools used to cut fruit.
The current manager, Satpal Singh, was assisted by a friend for his answers.
The friend said: “We use it to cut bananas and fruits at the counter.”
Satpal Singh was unable to list the four licensing objectives when asked, which are to prevent crime and disorder and public nuisance, and to protect children from harm and uphold public safety.
Instead, Satpal Singh murmured in a different language.
Another reason presented for revocation was the discovery of rat droppings and entry points at the store on February 28, which was presented by health officer Ella Moore.
Maninder Kaur, a licensing representative, made it clear that the closure was voluntary.
Interjecting, Alec Comber, another health officer, said: “While the closure was voluntary, it did meet the threshold for a forced closure.”
The council can use a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice (HEPN) to force a food business to close if they pose a risk to health.
Because the closure was voluntary, the business avoided a magistrates’ court hearing that would either confirm or lift the closure.
While Kings Food & Wine was reopened on March 3, lingering concerns remained, and it currently has a 0/5 food hygiene rating.
The business was previously run by Manmeet Singh, who officially possessed the licence that was being reviewed.
Travel issues he faced meant that the meeting started after a five-minute delay.
Just before Manmeet Singh entered, councillor Paul Woodward (Labour, Church) joked: “Maybe he’s left the country.”
Satpal Singh took over in October last year.
Ms Kaur stated that Manmeet Singh would no longer be involved, and suggested that the licence be temporarily suspended so improvements could be made.
She said: “They are investing in management. A short suspension would allow the new management to complete the required steps.”
Police and licensing officers disagreed, providing evidence of licensing breaches during an inspection on June 24.
These included the discovery of a knife, toys being placed around alcohol and energy drinks, sale of smoking pipes, and failings relating to staff training and CCTV.
Ms Kaur did present physical proof of log books and signage mandated by the licensing conditions.
An application to switch ownership from Manmeet Singh to Satpal Singh was mentioned.
Asked why it had taken months for this transfer, Ms Kaur said significant business rate and water bill debts had to be resolved before the transfer process.
Ultimately, councillors decided to suspend the licence for four weeks, effectively banning alcohol sales for that period, at the meeting on Thursday, October 1.
The decision was made by councillors Woodward, Amjad Tarar (Labour, Battle) and Saadia Saadat (Conservative, Caversham Heights).
