Top 50 Indie Refuel Forecourts has been granted a licence to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at its Eden’s Lawn Service Station in Haltwhistle near Hexham in Northumberland.
The site can also now sell late-night refreshments from 11pm to 5am, seven days a week. The permission was granted despite two objections from locals, including one from the local pub.
Refuel Forecourts took over the site last November and had always intended to develop it.
Company director Jennifer Zokiuddin told Forecourt Trader: “It’s an unusual forecourt store as it sells a lot of clothes and hiking boots. When we took over it was just selling clothes, boots and a little bit of confectionery. We have been gradually changing the range. However, we will keep some of the clothes and boots because the site is in a tourist area close to the Hexham Wall.
“In the summer the local camping grounds are busy and more recently there have been more Airbnbs in the area. This is why we felt that being able to sell alcohol around the clock was needed.”
Jennifer said the company had been waiting to see if it got the off licence before it continued with its plans for the site. Now that it has, it will turn the shop into a full-service convenience store under the Londis fascia.
