Maidenhead off-licence given second chance by the council

Bosses of a Maidenhead off licence caught selling counterfeit wine have been given another chance by the Royal Borough.

The Drinks Superstore in King Street, also known as Kings Stores, had its licence called in for review by borough trading standards officers after 57 bottles of fake Jacobs Creek were found on its shelves in April last year.

They were seized as part of a nationwide investigation launched by brand owner Penrod Ricard UK.

Licence holder Gurchuran Singh Sidhu told the Maidenhead council's licensing committee at a meeting on Wednesday he had brought the wine from a wholesalers not knowing it was fake.

He was told two new conditions will be put on his licence including training of all staff to identify counterfeit alcohol and that no alcohol can be displayed without being checked by the premises holder or the designated premises supervisor as being the genuine brand.

Cllr Wilson Hendry (Con, Pinkneys Green) said in a letter to Mr Sidhu the panel appreciated 'the issue was a nationwide concern' and the imposition of 'further conditions were reasonable'.

The hearing was adjourned three times and delayed for three months after Mr Sidhu failed to find legal representation.

He also appeared before the licensing panel in 2010 after police complained the shop had served underage drinkers. The store had conditions added to its licence including better staffing and CCTV.

Mr Sidhu was also fined £475 in the same year after 355 bottles of wines and spirits were found which had no excise duty.

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