A convenience store at the centre of a dangerous child drinking culture has been banned from selling alcohol.

Police acted to have the licence removed from the outlet, Twickenham Local, following multiple reports from residents plus concerns over the hospitalisation of at least two young girls.

At the same time the Heath Road store was implicated in sales of drinks to children which was linked to antisocial behaviour by groups of up to 60 youngsters around Twickenham Green.

On one evening a stream of 48 juveniles entered the store within a three hour period with a number buying drink.

Evidence from CCTV footage revealed sales of drink and vapes without proper identification checks. At the same time staff at the store were failing to properly log refusals to sell drink to youngsters.

The drinks licence has been removed following a hearing by Richmond Council's Licensing Sub-Committee and the decision has just been published by the local authority.

The Sub-Committee said there is a particular need to combat underage drinking in Richmond, which has the worst record for the hospitalisation of children linked to drink in the whole of London.

It said: "Paragraph 4.8 of the Licensing Policy states that the younger population in Richmond is particularly vulnerable to harm from alcohol with the highest number of hospital admissions, above national and other London Boroughs.

"The Police had received significant concerns about the sale of alcohol and vapes."

The Police told Councillors that the store continued to sell drink to children even after the owner was put on notice that the license was being reviewed.

The Sub-Committee said: "Since the submission of the application for review, there had been reports of streams of children exiting the premises with alcohol and vapes, hospitalisation of a teenager who had told parent of alcohol purchase at the premises, police intelligence reports of

underage sales and anti-social behaviour. This was of significant concern to the Police.

"The Sub-Committee noted numerous complaints from separate individuals had been made to the police regarding under-age sales taking place at the premises, including from two separate mothers whose under-age daughters had been hospitalised as a result."

They added: "There were concerns that the congregation of young people on Twickenham Green was driven by underage sales. With the busy nearby road, there was a risk of harm to a child."

Announcing the licence would be revoked, Councillors said: "The Sub-Committee were of the view that this all pointed to, at best, serious failings in

management and at worst deliberate actions taking place at the premises to condone or facilitate under-age sales, such that the Sub-Committee had no confidence in the licence holder's ability and integrity to operate the premises responsibly and in accordance with the licensing objectives.

"The Sub-Committee considered that the premises has been trading irresponsibly such that the licensing objectives of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, the Prevention of Public Nuisance and the Protection of Children from Harm had been seriously undermined."

The owner of the store, Manmit Golati, argued that complaints against the store were the result of prejudice. This was rejected by the police.

Shop owner Manmit Singh Golati. Credit: Richmond Borough Council Licensing sub-committee.

Mr Golati, a father of two, said: "I feel that I have been targeted because of my religion and appearance and have many times been verbally abused in my shop alongside my staff.

"I am a responsible multiple business owner who understands the laws and regulations of this country and fully abides by them, and I am also aware of my license conditions.

"I have 2 kids myself, one is 6 years and second one 10 years old, they are both boys. I would never want anyone to sell alcohol or vapes to my kids, I am very very strict myself.

"Every day after school we got so many kids standing outside our shop, buying sweets, crisps, juices and daily food stuff but we cannot tell them to leave the shop and go, as they are buying sweets.

"I guess others think that they buy alcohol or vapes from us which they don't."