Oxford City Council’s licensing sub-committee has rejected an application for an alcohol licence at a convenience store in Oxford following concerns raised by trading standards officials.
The application for Matean Market, located at 128 Hollow Way in Oxford, was considered during a meeting on September 7, 2026.
The request sought authorisation for the premises to sell alcohol for consumption off-site between 8am and 11pm daily.
Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards division lodged an objection, arguing that granting the licence could compromise efforts to prevent crime and public disorder.
The submission highlighted that the establishment had accumulated a substantial record of tobacco-related violations during periods under previous ownership.
Investigations conducted between 2017 and 2024 involved test purchases during which illicit cigarettes were obtained and confiscated.
Since 2019, seven individuals associated with the business have been convicted of offences related to tobacco or vaping products.
Kate Gregory, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member responsible for public health and inequalities, indicated that residents and law-abiding businesses ought not to tolerate recurring criminal activity on high street premises.
She emphasised that the outcome demonstrated the importance of trading standards collecting comprehensive evidence, maintaining close collaboration with police, and deploying all available enforcement mechanisms to safeguard Oxfordshire communities.
In May 2026, trading standards received additional intelligence suggesting that illegal tobacco products were being stored in residential quarters connected to the premises and distributed through the shop.
An unannounced inspection conducted on August 3 uncovered activity consistent with these reports.
On August 14, officers from trading standards and Thames Valley Police executed a search warrant at the location.
Within the residential accommodation, they discovered 127 packets of contraband cigarettes and 480 grams of illegal hand-rolling tobacco in a bedroom.
Authorities also seized a knife and cash.
Three individuals were detained on suspicion of immigration-related offences, with one of those three additionally facing allegations concerning tobacco and trade mark violations.
The criminal case remains under active investigation.
The following day, Thames Valley Police secured a three-month partial closure order from High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court.
The order limits access to the premises to the landlord, police officers, and council officials.
Davina Walkin, operations manager for Oxfordshire County Council’s trading standards service, noted that the objection was not based solely on the reputation of an address or the conduct of former operators.
She explained that the sub-committee received evidence encompassing a lengthy record of offending alongside recent intelligence, covert surveillance, and findings from the warrant operation.
Walkin stated that trading standards had to assess whether reasonable assurance existed that the establishment would operate lawfully and responsibly if permitted to sell alcohol, and the service welcomed the committee’s decision to dismiss the application.
The licensing determination is independent of the continuing criminal proceedings.
No conclusions regarding individual criminal liability should be drawn until any legal proceedings have been completed.