The ban on selling alcohol for three months at a convenience store and off licence in Upper Stratton will not be lifted for Christmas.

Chintam Shah, who runs Meadowcroft Express in Meadowcroft, had his licence to sell alcohol suspended for three months in September for selling drink, tobacco and vape products to youngsters under 18.

The ban is set to run until mid-January.

He applied to Swindon Borough Council’s licencing team for a special temporary event notice licence to be able to sell alcohol at the shop from 10am to 9pm for seven days between 23 and 29 December this year.

Mr Shah was not present at the meeting of the three-councillor strong licensing panel convened to consider his application on Tuesday – but his brother Jay spoke on his behalf.

Mr Shah said: “We’d like to do this because we are facing increased costs and losses with rising inflation, but if you don’t want to give us the licence, we don’t have any issue with that.”

Mr Shah was asked by the panel chairman Councillor Caryl Sydney-Smith whether the shop had installed CCTV which was a condition of it getting its licence back in January.

Mr Shah said the shop had installed CCTV before that hearing had taken place and invited members of the licensing team to visit the store to check.

But Wiltshire Police had opposed Mr Shah’s application.

The force’s Swindon licensing officer John Barker told the panel: “We support the original notice of suspension to prevent crime and to protect children.

“There were multiple serious breaches involving children over a length of time, with a noticeable impact on the community.

“I believe the suspension should continue to avoid sending a mixed message to the wider community and to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

After 40 minutes’ deliberation the panel of Couns Sydney-Smith, John Ballman and Alan Bishop decided not to allow the temporary event licence to Mr Shah.

The decision said: “The applicant gave the panel no reason to believe the issues raised at the previous hearing had been overcome. The panel was also concerned that allowing the temporary event would clearly circumvent the general objectives of the Licensing Act by allowing a premises to undertake the same licensable activity within their suspended licence.”

After the meeting Mr Shah said he would have to speak to his brother to see if he wanted to appeal. If he does, he has 21 days in which to do so.