Court Extends Closure Order for Moreton Convenience Store
Moreton Convenience Store on Upton Road, Moreton, will remain closed for an additional three months after Wirral magistrates granted an application from Trading Standards to extend the closure order. The shop, which had been shut since an initial order in April 2026, will now stay closed until at least October 1, 2026, due to ongoing risks of public nuisance and criminality.
Evidence of Long-Term Illegal Activity
Investigations by Wirral Trading Standards and Merseyside Police revealed offending at the premises dating back to 2021. During a March 2026 inspection, officers discovered a remote-controlled hidden storage space inside a light-fitting in the storeroom, containing 4,500 illegal cigarettes and 2.3kg of hand-rolling tobacco. Additionally, a discarded holdall in the staff car park held 3,400 more contraband cigarettes and over 3kg of illegal hand-rolling tobacco.
Landlords Failed to Act
Trading Standards found that landlords Anthony Cross and Haywood Milton had taken no steps to remove the proprietor, Zana Mohammed Khalla, during the initial closure period. Neither Mr Khalla nor the landlords opposed the extension. The court also ordered the landlords to pay costs of £1,287.
Council Warning to Landlords
Cllr Jenny Johnson, chair of the tourism, communities, culture and leisure committee for Wirral Council, said: “This case attracted a lot of attention back in April due to the way the proprietor had attempted to hide the illegal items he was selling to members of the public. As part of the application for an extension to the closure order, it is significant that the courts agreed that the owners of the premises have a responsibility to ensure that if their tenants are found to be conducting illegal activities at their property, they have a responsibility to take action too. They cannot turn a blind eye to this.”
She added: “We are, once more, indebted to the hard work undertaken by Wirral Trading Standards officers and the police. Such criminal activity is not welcome here.”
Legal Risks for Landlords
Landlords may also commit an offence under money laundering legislation if they knowingly allow tenants to trade in illegal tobacco products and continue to accept rental payments derived from such sales. The case underscores the legal obligations of property owners to prevent criminality on their premises.
