A Preston newsagent who flouted a court order banning them from selling vapes and tobacco has been fined £4,000 and hit with court costs.
ON Newsagents on Orchard Street in Preston, which formerly traded as EN Newsagents, were handed a Restricted Premises Order earlier this year after persistently selling to underage buyers.
Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards officers sent in underage test purchasers, including a 15 year old wearing school uniform, to the shop, during an 18-month period between 2022 and 2023.
Three sales of vapes to children opened the door for Trading Standards to apply to the courts for a Restricted Premises Order, which came into effect on May 13, 2025. This penalty, applied to all sales of tobacco and nicotine products, is reserved for shops that persistently sell nicotine products to youngsters and ran until midnight on August 12.
Preston Magistrates Court heard that on 10 July, an undercover Trading Standards Officer carried out a test purchase at the store, and was able to purchase two e-liquids, in contravention of the Order.
The seller and owner of the store, Arif Patel, initially denied the sale when spoken to by officers, and claimed that he didn't work at the store. Following an investigation, on November 5, Arif Patel pleaded guilty to an offence of breaching the Order. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £1,837 costs and surcharge.
Councillor Joshua Roberts, Lancashire County Council's cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities said: "This store has repeatedly shown their complete disregard for the law, first by selling vapes to children and then by breaching an order aimed at protecting the community.
"We will not hesitate to take the strongest action against businesses who flout the rules.
"The shop was ordered by the courts not to sell nicotine and tobacco products and continued to do so. The £4,000 fine imposed by the courts reflects that such contempt by a retailer will be viewed seriously."
Anyone wishing to report a business for selling age-restricted products such as cigarettes and vapes to children can do so by telephoning the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or by completing an online form.
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