A decision on whether a Herefordshire village post office and shop should be allowed to serve alcohol has been postponed.

The bid for a change to the licence of Marden Post Office was due to have been decided on Monday (January 16) by Herefordshire Council’s licensing subcommittee.

Marden Parish Council clerk Jeremy Stephens told the meeting: “We don’t know how this is going to work.

“Children will have to cross the designated area to use the shop. There is only one access toilet which is diametrically across the main room of the building. You would need better toilet facilities.

“Provision for parking is minimal, and more houses will be built across the road. And there is a perfectly good pub down the road.”

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For the store’s owner Blue Star Power, Karena Harris of Lanyon Bowdler solicitors said her client “wishes to assure objectors they have no intention of upsetting anybody, and will work with them to address their concerns”.

She confirmed Blue Star Power also owns the village pub, which “has been closed for some time, having proved unviable in its present form”.

“The last three tenants have gone bust, so it’s even more important the post office and store remains open as a community asset,” she added.

After considerable investment in expanding and modernising the shop, its weekly footfall had gone from 500 customers to 1,300 – “which is just about break-even point”, Ms Harris said.

“The plan is to make it viable for the long term, which is why they are adding the cafe to the licence, resulting in an additional 12 employees.”

Conditions have been agreed with police and trading standards to address their concerns, and would, she hoped, also address those of the parish council.

However, subcommittee agreed to defer a decision on the bid pending a visit to the site on January 26.

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