Five people for each job vacancy in Lincoln

A shop in Spalding with a long history of licensing problems is again incurring the wrath of Lincolnshire Police next week.

The force’s licensing team have submitted evidence to South Holland District Council either objecting to applications, or calling for a review of businesses at 34 Westlode Street – formerly Delicja, but now operating as A2Z Food Express – a total of 15 times since 2018.

On Tuesday, they will again argue that Saglar Ahmat’s application to Vary a Premises Licence by taking off two conditions limiting the number and strength of beers, lagers and ciders sold, should not be approved.

The force said the conditions “assist the operator in limiting their impact on an existing problem area” which is covered by a Public Space Protection Order for street drinking, littering, spitting, urination and defecation.

There are currently two licenses associated with the premises, one which has been revoked and has been taken to appeal and a new licence. Both are currently under Mr Ahmat’s name.

Licensing Officer Gina McConville, in a 30 page report to councillors, outlined the history of the premises’ licence holders and its connections to smuggled goods and laundering – including alcohol and cigarettes.

She said a recent check continued to find failures to comply with licensing conditions – including failure to price mark single cans of foreign beer, which she said was “an indicator of smuggled goods”.

“In total for this one premises Lincolnshire Police have submitted 15 separate pieces of work since 2018 in an effort to stop individuals with proven links to criminality obtaining the licence or remaining in a position of control on the licence.

“There is still great concern remaining as to who’s behind the premises and… little confidence that issues with licence compliance and objectives will ever be taken seriously and resolved.”

The premises previously operated as Delicja. Photo: Google Maps

She told councillors the applicant needed to “understand their place and impact in the community” and “put licensing objectives before profit”.

“The applicant has offered no other conditions that would assist in limiting his premises effect.

“Without these conditions the premises will be adding to the issues which created the need for the PSPO in the first place and that need remains as the PSPO has been reviewed and remains in place.

“Lincolnshire Police has concerns in the applicant’s ability due to the previous failure to price mark and non‐compliance with conditions on a revoked premise licence. These very conditions will assist him all the more.”

A female passenger in her 20s has sadly lost her life in a crash on the A16 at Utterby near Louth on Tuesday night.

The road was closed on Tuesday night following a serious crash on the Main Road near to the junction of Ings Lane, involving a black Vauxhall Corsa and a grey Citroen Vibe at around 9.45pm.

The passenger of the Citroen, a woman in her 20s, died at the scene of the crash, while the driver, a man in his late teens, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The driver of the Corsa was a woman in her 70s and she was also taken to hospital with injuries described as serious.

The road was closed overnight while emergency services cleared the area and reopened at 10am on Wednesday morning.

Police are now making inquiries into the journeys of both vehicles prior to the collision, and would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed the crash.

Officers have drawn up a list of vehicles that were reported as travelling in convoy on the A16 just before the incident, and would like to speak to anyone in the following cars at that time:

• White coloured Ford Fiesta van
• Dark coloured Mercedes A Class
• Silver coloured Ford Fiesta
• Dark coloured Vauxhall Astra

The force would also like to speak to anyone with dashcam footage that travelled between Utterby and Louth on the A16 between 9-10pm on Tuesday, October 26, regardless of what it may show.

If you have any information or footage, contact police by calling 101 or emailing [email protected] and quoting incident 399 of October 26.

Those who lost their lives at war to defend our freedoms will be honoured on Remembrance Day this year, as part of a weekend of services in Lincoln.

Remembrance services have been observed since the end of the First World War in 1918, to honour armed forces members who lost their lives serving their countries in the line of duty.

It is an annual tradition for services to be held across the country, and this year is no different, as Lincoln prepares for a weekend-long Remembrance of our heroes of war.

There will be a brief service on Remembrance Day itself, Thursday, November 11, held at the war memorial on Lincoln High Street and organised by the Royal British Legion.

The service at the Lincoln War Memorial. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Another service will be held at the war memorial on Saturday, November 13, this time organised by City of Lincoln Council in conjunction with the Royal British Legion.

The Armistice Service will be attended by the Lord Lieutenant, the Civic Party, members of council, freemen and more, with a wreath-laying opportunity and music provided by the Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue band.

The day after, on Remembrance Sunday, Lincoln Cathedral will host its usual annual service, with the Mayor of Lincoln in attendance along with the Civic Party and members of the council.

Elsewhere in the county, West Lindsey District Council have said that the chairman will be at All Saints in Gainsborough on the morning of Remembrance Sunday, and then All Saints Parish Church in Nettleham in the afternoon for two separate services.

In North East Lincolnshire, there will be services held in Grimsby, Immingham, Laceby, New Waltham and Cleethorpes to allow people to pay tribute.