Easebourne Parish Council and more than a dozen residents have objected to an application to license a new convenience store in the area.

The application for a premises licence for ‘Go Local’, in the former ‘Cook’ site on the corner of Easebourne Lane and Lutener Road, will be decided by Mid Sussex District Council’s alcohol & entertainment licensing sub-committee on Thursday August 20.

If the licence is permitted, the store will be allowed to open seven days a week, from 7am to 9pm, with customers already shopping at that time being given until 9.30pm to make their purchases. As such, the licence will permit the sale of alcohol until 9.30pm.

The objections from residents raised a number of concerns, such as why such a store was needed, the risk of increased anti-social behaviour and under-age drinking, and the risk of adding to parking problems in the area.

A submission from the parish council said: “There is no requirement for an additional alcohol or tobacco products/vapes retailer in this rural village.

“The M&S food store at the BP garage directly opposite sells these items and is open from 6.30am until 10pm daily. The Village Shop on Easebourne Street also sells the same items and there are several retailers a short walk away in Midhurst.”

The application originally sought permission to open and sell alcohol until 11pm each evening. But after learning about the concerns raised, applicant Mineshkumar Pravinbhai Patel agreed to reduce the hours.

In a letter to the council, his spokesman said: “We would like to think that this reduction in trading hours will go some way to addressing the concerns reflected in some of the representations made.”

As of now, though, none of the objections have been withdrawn.