A PETROL station has been allowed to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, despite warnings it would be "to the detriment" of people living nearby.


The Shell garage in Southend Road, South Woodford, asked for permission to sell drink round the clock, along with refreshments between 11pm and 5am, but nearby households feared it would attract crime and anti-social behaviour.


And Jeremy Phillips, representing the garage, offered a last minute concession at a licensing committee meeting on Thursday.


He said: "We are happy to adjust the licensing hours to stop selling alcohol between 11pm and 5am the following morning and therefore we won't have to apply for the late night refreshment licence."


But this was ignored by the three committee members, Cllrs Vanessa Cole, Tania Solomon and Robert Littlewood, without explanation.


Speaking on behalf of those living in Lambs Meadow Drive and the Hill Farm Estate, Cllr Gwyneth Deakins said: "The estate is already a crime hotspot in Roding ward, with a lot of anti-social behaviour and motor vehicle crime.


"The residents feel the sale of alcohol will be counter-productive to their peace and quiet. They have seen an increase in activity at the garage over the years - to their detriment."


Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Deakins said: "I am extremely disappointed.

"The garage even offered to have the licence in place between 5am and 11pm, I don't understand why the committee didn't go with that.

"I know the residents will be upset but we did our best to convey their concerns and if problems arise in the future I hope the residents let us know."

Sarah Sanders, 63, of Lambs Meadow said she would now seriously consider moving house.

"If we have any problems now we will keep phoning the police and hopefully if we shout loud enough maybe the licence will get revoked.

"My neighbour and I are pensioners, we don't need this at our time of life."

The petrol station has to provide six-monthly sales figures to the council to show its sales come predominately from the shop and not from fuel, which is a condition of the licence.


Shell has more than 220 garages across the UK which have a licence to sell alcohol. 

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