A MINIMARKET has been given permission to stay open later despite opposition from police.

Arya Supermarket, in South Harrow, at one stage wanted permission to trade in booze 24 hours a day, using a hatch in the side of its Northolt Road premises.

But it withdrew the application after strong opposition from police and opted instead for an extension to the alcohol licence until midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, 1am on Thursdays and 2am on remaining days.

The council granted it an extension from 11pm to midnight from Monday to Saturday but demanded staff put up signs “requesting the public to respect the needs of local residents and to leave the premises and the area quietly”.

Sergeant Carl Davies, the police licensing officer, had already opposed any change to the licence in a statement to the council, in which he cast doubt on the designated premises supervisor Jamshid Oryakhel.

He said: “I have no confidence that Mr Oryakhel has grasped what is required and I continue to believe that any change to the existing Premises License should not take place and urge the panel to adopt the same view.”

He points to an incident on June 29, last year, when Trading Standards officers found Shisha tobacco incorrectly labelled, with no health warnings and no duty paid.

Customs officers seized just more than 6kg.