A shop that was shut down after selling dangerous fake alcohol is now to set to become flats.

Reading Borough Council (RBC) planning officers on Friday (October 8) approved plans to turn vacant shop Kush News and flats above on Southampton Street, into new apartments.

Currently, there are two flats on the two floors above the vacant shop, which lost its licence in 2017 after selling illegal vodka, whiskey, and wine.

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The empty shop and the basement below will be turned into four serviced apartments, while the first floor will become a further three serviced apartments.

Additionally, the second floor and loft space will be turned into one two-bed flat and one one-bed apartment.

There will also be a part two, part 2.5-storey rear extension two enable the creation of the new flats.

Why the shop lost its licence

In 2016, Paulam Patel, owner of Kush News in Southampton Street, left investigators stunned after they seized a stash of counterfeit bottles of whiskey, smuggled wine, and illegal vodka.

It was the second time Patel has been caught out, after he lost another licence for a similar litany of alcohol related offences in February 2015 at a different store.

The 2016 batch of dodgy booze was tested and traces of chemicals which are dangerous to human health were found inside.

HMRC raided the store in April 2016 and found 285 bottles of smuggled wine which had dodged legal tax duty.

They also found 12 bottles of illegal vodka and a stash of counterfeit bottles of whisky.

Patel also failed a check for identification during a test purchase of alcohol.

READ MORE: Shop owner snared after harmful alcohol found on shelves

Reading Borough Council revoked his licence when the offences came to light, and magistrates upheld the decision on February 13.

Patel was ordered to pay costs of £3,674.