Closure Order- Barnoldswick

Closure Order- Barnoldswick

Following the information we have received from members of the public, we are happy to share with you that a shop in Barnoldswick has been ordered to close after being linked to ongoing criminality and the sale of illegal tobacco and cigarettes.

Sandy Lane Mini Market on Albert Road has been ordered to close for three months, after a closure order was granted at Burnley Magistrates Court on Wednesday 14 October.

This was after officers from our Prosper Partnership Team and partners from Trading Standards visited the shop on Tuesday 29 September and discovered a number of items hidden in a secret compartment in a storeroom of the shop. A fob was hidden inside a sponge, which when pressed made a shelf raise from the floor, revealing the stash, including 479 packets of cigarettes, 143 packets of hand rolling tobacco, and two packets of Viagra. This find followed years of failed inspections and test purchases at the shop, demonstrating continued criminality on the premises.

The shop must now close for the next three months as under UK law, initial premises closure orders are capped at three months. Anyone seen entering the store before the Closure Order concludes on Thursday 14 January 2027 without reasonable excuse will be committing a criminal offence and can face a fine and/or imprisonment.

We want to reassure you that trading of this nature is not and will never be tolerated in Pendle and we will continue to work with Trading Standards to take firm action against businesses who sell illegal tobacco and cigarettes. May we take this time to ask residents of Barnoldswick, and Pendle, to keep reporting concerns to us or Trading Standards. Your concerns are heard and we do take them incredibly seriously.

This closure order was undertaken as part of Lancashire Constabulary’s Operation Centurion, a county-wide crack down on anti-social behaviour and criminality, backed by the Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw. You can report anti-social behaviour concerns to Lancashire Police by calling 101 or via their website https://www.lancashire.police.uk/ro/report/

You can also pass on any information directly to me on 7473@lancashire.police.uk