A major Horsham supermarket wants to vary its licence so that it can sell alcohol off the premises for 24 hours every day.

Waitrose in Albion Way, Horsham, has lodged an application for the change with Horsham District Council. But it stresses that the variation is mainly to help with the fulfilment of online alcohol orders.

The store says that it intends to keep the hours for the sale of alcohol on the premises the same – from 7am-10.10pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 5.40pm on Sundays.

In a statement to the council, Waitrose says: “The variation is primarily to facilitate the fulfilment of online orders of alcohol. There is currently no intention to open the store to the public outside their current opening hours.”