Sale restaurant caught selling alcohol without a licence

A Sale restaurant was selling beer and wine to customers just a day before its application to sell alcohol was heard by Trafford Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee. 

Linguine, Sale © Life in Sale

The committee, which rejected the application, was told that alcohol had been displayed and sold on-site at Linguine on Northenden Road in Sale, despite Linguine lacking a valid licence. Council officers reported seeing beers on the premises during a visit on 03 December. 

Further evidence included Tripadvisor reviews describing ‘recommended wines’ and ‘good value wine lists’, contradicting the applicant’s claim that only alcohol-free products were ever sold. 

However, the applicant, Hevar Hassan Abdulraheem of H J Sale Ltd, denied the allegations and insisted that only alcohol-free beverages were served, even presenting photographs of a fridge stocked with such products. These claims were strongly disputed by the licensing officer, who described them as a deliberate attempt to mislead. 

Linguine’s previous alcohol licence was revoked by the committee on 17 September. The committee determined that the previous licence holder had been employing illegal workers and there had been releases of carbon monoxide as a result of deliberate conduct in failing to maintain equipment properly.  

Ownership of the business also came under scrutiny. The applicant admitted acquiring Linguine, free of charge, on 26 August. She denied responsibility for offences discovered before this date, but did not clarify further regarding an illegal worker found during a visit on 21 June. 

The Licensing Sub-Committee concluded there were concerns that multiple offences under the Licensing Act may have been committed, including the unlicensed sale of alcohol. They unanimously decided to reject the application, also citing the applicant’s lack of credibility and failure to address fundamental licensing concerns. 

After the meeting, Cllr Rose Thompson, Executive Member for Communities and Safety, said: “We do all we can to protect public safety and prevent crime and disorder. Businesses – especially ones that serve alcohol – must be run responsibly for the benefit of both staff and customers.”