A newsagent has been denied the opportunity to sell alcohol until 2am over concerns it could encourage street drinking and anti-social behaviour.

Diya Food and Wine, in Station Road, Harrow, applied for a variation to its licence to sell alcohol into the early hours of the morning, having initially requested a 24-hour licence.

But following concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police, Harrow Council’s licensing panel was “not confident” the shop could uphold the necessary objectives.

The committee explained selling alcohol to a later time would “undermine” efforts to improve Harrow town centre and keep people safe.

It added the shop’s previous failures to uphold licensing objectives worked against it when applying for an extended licence.

In its decision, it stated: “The licensing panel considered that, having made this application, the applicant should have been extra careful to ensure that all conditions of the existing licence were being complied with.

“However, this had not happened. The panel concluded that varying the premises licence would lead to the licensing objectives being undermined.”

Police representatives explained that similar extensions have led to an increase in anti-social behaviour in the area.

They also noted “minor breaches” of the current licence relating to CCTV and fire safety and that the newsagent should not be afforded the “privilege” of an extended licence.