A SHOP has been banned from selling booze until New Year’s Eve.

Binghams Convenience Store in Cumnock had an unauthorised fridge full of alcohol for sale. 

The grocers failed to get permission for the booze display from East Ayrshire Council’s Licensing Board.

Despite repeated warnings the two-metre tall fridge remained in the Glaisnock Street for nearly two years.

The council Licensing Standards Officer Ian Hiles found licences and training records were not available for inspection.

And Mr Hiles also discovered staff member Pamela McWilliam had not received two hours training.

Irfan Nasim who spoke on behalf of the premises licence holder, his father, Abdul Nasim said the fridge has been removed.

Speaking at this week’s East Ayrshire Council licensing board (September 25), Mr Nasim said: “We didn’t know the fridge was there since 2016. All I can do is apologise. It will never happen again.”

Depute licensing board clerk Stuart McCall said: “Why has it taken two years for this matter to be rectified?”

Mr Nasim replied: “We did the shop up. We got a free fridge. We just put it in there.”

Mr McCall asked if he had remembered being warned about the fridge.

The shop was told to apply for permission for the appliance to be included in the approved booze display area.

Mr Nasim answered: “I thought: ‘I have not heard anything back so I thought it must be all right.”

The meeting also heard how the council was not informed when the designated premises manager Shabnum Mohammed’s licence was revoked by Glasgow City Council.

Mr Nasim said: “We will be more careful in future. I have taken the fridge out. We will try our best to keep on top of everything.”

Licensing board chair Councillor Tom Cook said: “The board has serious concerns about how this store has been run for a number of years. We take a serious view of this.”

The board suspended the store’s licence until December 31. All members of staff must also be retrained and those involved in the sale of alcohol must have a personal licence.

Mr Nasim asked: “Can we run the shop ourselves without the staff?”

He was told the decision was unanimous and to talk to the licensing standards officer in private.