24 April 2008. Somerfield abandons their appeal against the licensing decision to stop them from selling alcohol. No reason has been given by Somerfield for pulling out so we can only assume that they finally admitted defeat when they realised they could not possibly win. The residents of Radyr Way, Danescourt, Llantrisant Rd and other areas effected by the potential sale of alcohol have made their objections known and through the overwhelming support from local councillors and Police we have played a significant part in stopping Somerfield from selling alcohol in out neighbourhood. Thank you to everyone involved.

Should Somerfield ever decide to launch a fresh appeal we will of course fight that appeal with ever more vigour. 

On Feb 8, 2008, Cardiff Council made a very wise decision to refuse the application from Somerfield to sell alcohol from the recently opened store on the Llantrisant Rd. However, a licence was granted to allow the sale of hot food and drink throughout the night and all day from 7am to 5am.

Initially there were 175 letters & emails sent to the council – approximately 92 from Radyr Way, 28 from Llantrisant Road, 46 from Danescourt and 9 others. We have been given the fullest support from local councillors and the police and we also have support from Rhodri Morgan.

Local residents were outraged when they heard that Somerfield wanted to sell alcohol at their new petrol station and many wrote complaining to Cardiff Council. The licensing hearing at the City Hall was full to capacity with local residents eager to register their objections. Resident after resident recounted the horrors that they had endured over the years caused by anti social behaviour.

The feedback from residents was that as the previous store attracted drunken youths on their way home from causing havoc in the centre of Cardiff and also acted as a magnet to youths, often drunk, loitering in our area, that selling alcohol would increase the problem to a horrendous level and must be avoided. Residents gave accounts of how youths intimidate them as they enter other stores selling alcohol, asking them to buy alcohol.

The new store opened recently and according to Somerfield staff, within 1 hour was targeted by criminals who grabbed high value items and ran out of the store. Similar crimes have occurred almost daily and mostly by children. Local residents are most relieved that there is no alcohol for these criminals to steal. The current security systems in place at Somerfield would appear to be ineffective.

Information of how many times that Somerfield, Llantrisant Road, has been the victim of crime can be obtained here at http://www.south-wales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=4&n2=153.

Somerfield’s Appeal will be heard in the Magistrates Court over three days from Monday 19th May to Wednesday 21st May 2008. The case will be Somerfield versus Cardiff Council (and residents of Radyr Way, Danescourt, and Llantrisant Road).

All residents who wrote or emailed an objection to the original Licence Application are entitled to speak as a witness in the Appeal. Although a three day hearing has been set, there is obviously not enough time for everyone to speak (even just from Radyr Way), so a short list of potential witnesses will be created in consultation with the Solicitor who will present our case in Court. Residents are liaising with residents from Danescourt and Llantrisant Road and potential witnesses will be contacted over the next few weeks.

The aim of many of the residents of Radyr Way (if not all) is to stop Somerfield from selling alcohol. We (the Radyr Way Residents Group) have the highest confidence that Somerfield will loose its appeal against Cardiff Council. Local residents will then address the sale of Hot Food and Beverages throughout the night

Read more about issues arising from the sale of alcohol from petrol stations as well as issues relating to the sale of alcohol.




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