CONCERNS have been raised over a bid to sell alcohol at a busy garage in Porthmadog.

Motor Fuel Ltd has submitted an application for a premises licence at the Porthmadog Filling Station on the High Street in the town.

The application has been met with concerns by councillors amid fears it would cause traffic issues and concerns that it wouldn’t be sensible selling alcohol at a petrol station.

Cllr Jason Humphreys, who represents Porthmadog East on Gwynedd Council, said: “I am objecting to this licence application by Motor Fuel Ltd due to my concerns regarding the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Public Safety and Protection of Children from Harm.

“I note first that the application contains the words ‘convenience store’ and ‘filling station’ on the details of the site address. I’m not aware of the property ever being referred to as a ‘convenience store’ before.

“Occasionally, serious problems are caused by vehicles queuing for fuel at and around the site. This creates congestion on the High Street and Madoc Street as well as chaos and dangers of accidents.

“It is very reasonable to speculate that to extend the range of services on site will have an adverse effect on the situation.

“The applicants seek the right to sell alcohol between 6am and 11pm each day but the right to operate between 8am to 11pm, and 8am to 10.30pm on Sunday that exist on other Porthmadog high street properties at the moment.

“Also, Porthmadog Town Council and Eifionydd Policing Group have supported my efforts to ensure ‘bottle labels’ condition on the other licences recently.”

Porthmadog town councillor, Richard Williams, told members at a recent Porthmadog Town Council meeting that he would also not be supporting this application.

He said: “It just doesn’t seem right; a garage should be the last place that should sell alcohol.

“It’s strange that someone wants to sell alcohol to people driving up and buying petrol.”

However, Cllr Carol Hayes said if the town council supported other premises to sell alcohol, such as Savers on the High Street, then they should support this application.

She said: “We supported Savers when they submitted a licensing application so I believe we should support this one, we can’t support one and then not the other.”

A majority of the town council said they would not support the application and their representations were submitted to Gwynedd Council.