Burger King has lost its bid to sell beer at Victoria Station (pictured) and Paddington station (Picture: Alamy)Sorry guys, if you fancied a pint with your cheeseburger on your way home, you’re going to have go elsewhere.
Burger King has lost its bid to sell beer at two of London’s busiest train stations.
The fast food giant wanted to serve alcohol throughout the week at
Victoria and Paddington station but lost its bid following strong
opposition from police.
Burger King at Paddington Station (Picture: National Rail)
SSP, which runs Burger King outlets at travel hubs across the globe,
tried to get a licence to sell beer from 10am until 11pm Monday to
Saturday, and 10am until 10.30pm on Sundays.
But police said the introduction could put people at risk, and increase crime and disorder around the stations.
PC Bryan Lewis told Westminster council’s licensing sub-committee:
‘It’s fast food, fast service, fast alcohol and fast drunkenness, as a
result of that.
‘People consume alcohol and have a desire to eat fast food on the way
home. At this point, they have had enough to drink but then they will
be offered more [alcohol] at the station.’
(Picture: Getty)
SSP’s solicitor Nicola Smith pointed out that Burger King customers
could already purchase alcohol from other restaurants and shops
surrounding the station.
She said: ‘It’s really so that our customers can go to one venue instead of two.’
PC Lewis said that granting the licences would set ‘a precedent’ for
other fast food chains wanting to sell alcoholic drinks in London.
Currently, beer can only be purchased from Burger King stores at East Croydon station and Fenchurch Street station.
Chair of the licensing sub-committee councillor Angela Harvey said
the application wasn’t ‘appropriate’ as it was not ‘adequately
controlled.’
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