A shop in Middleton has been forced to close for three months after selling illegal vapes and cigarettes. Rochdale Council obtained a closure order against Pop Smoke on Long Street following a joint effort with Trading Standards.
Court Action and Closure
The local authority took the store to Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court last week to secure the closure. The shop will only be allowed to reopen in September, unless the court or council seeks an extension to the order.
Councillor's Response
Local councillor Dylan Williams welcomed the action but called for the government to grant councils greater powers to tackle such shops. He said: “As vice chair of Middleton Township, I’m pleased to see swift action by our award-winning Trading Standards team. They have been tackling the sale of illicit tobacco, illegal vapes, and sales to children.
“This store was closed due to repeatedly selling illicit tobacco. A three-month closure order is currently the maximum the council can apply for. I add to calls for the Government to grant councils greater powers to take stronger action against such premises.”
Previous Closures
This is one of several shops trading illicit goods that Rochdale Council has shut down recently. In January, Rochdale European Market was closed after more than 1,500 packs of cigarettes and over 3kg of tobacco were seized. That store was the fifth closed through a closure order for illicit tobacco in the Drake Street and Oldham Road corridor since June last year.
