Town centre shop 'at centre of disorder' forced to shut

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A shop has been forced to close after a court branded it a potential ‘nuisance to the public’ and centre of ‘disorder’. Horwich Mini-Market on Lee Lane was shut down ‘with immediate effect’ after Bolton Council successfully obtained a closure order from the courts on September 5.

Trading Standards officers at Bolton Council said action came after a number of unannounced visits to premises which resulted in a large quantity of illicit products such as vapes and cigarettes being seized.

A copy of the order has been posted on the shutters of the shop. The action means means the business must remain closed and nobody is allowed in the premises for a three-month period up to December 5.

An email from trading standards to councillors, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, said: “The seized goods consist of illegal tobacco and vaping products, that present harm and risk to the borough’s residents. Join the Manchester Politics WhatsApp group here “The local authority will take all measures available to combat the sale of illicit goods in our communities.” Following the order being granted trading standards officers headed straight to the business to oversee the closure process.