A convenience store on Oxford Road has lost its licence to sell alcohol after illicit alcohol and tobacco was found on the premises.

PAL Food and Wine’s premises licence was revoked by Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) licensing committee today (June 6) after councillors decided the owner’s arguments were not ‘credible’.

Owner Arman Singh Chopra said the illicit alcohol was bought from legitimate wholesalers and turned up with a bag of invoices on the day to prove his point.

However, the committee refused to receive the late evidence and questioned its validity.

Councillor Debs Edwards, chair of the committee, said the owner showed ‘a lack of concern, care and laziness’ and that she did not believe him.

Mr Chopra’s legal representative asked for the committee to suspend his licence for three months and transfer the role of designated premises supervisor to a colleague.

This was rejected by the committee.

Trading Standards officer Ian Savill said: “I haven’t heard a lot of credible information from the premises licence holder.

“The business hasn’t taken their responsibilities seriously. We have to continue sending the message out that conduct of this type is unacceptable.

“It might change for three months but it will creep back.”

An investigation found duty diverted alcohol and cigarettes on the premises in February.

This was the second time that illicit alcohol has been found at the 435 Oxford Road store, with two bottles of diverted duty diverted brandy found on the premises in May 2015.

The store also failed four Challenge 25 test purchases.

The owner has 28 days to appeal the decision.