Ealing Council Grants B&M Acton Alcohol Licence
A licensing subcommittee approved alcohol sales until 11pm at the chain's new store in The Oaks shopping centre.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Ealing Council's licensing subcommittee granted B&M an alcohol licence to sell until 11pm at its new Acton store, which opened in The Oaks shopping centre on October 24. The store unit was previously occupied by Poundland.
Why it matters
The decision was reached in a 12-minute meeting after a local resident raised concerns about street drinking and drug use near the flats above the store. The subcommittee concluded that conditions such as CCTV and staff training were sufficient to promote the licensing objectives.
The licence allows alcohol sales until 11pm, though B&M says it will stop selling alcohol at 9pm for most of the year and 10pm during the festive period. The decision followed a 12-minute subcommittee meeting.
The players
B&M
B&M is a British discount retail chain known for selling a broad range of low-priced household goods and groceries across the United Kingdom.
Ealing Council
Ealing Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Ealing, responsible for licensing decisions including the sale of alcohol within its boundaries.
The details
A resident living in flats above the store, who had been in the block for eight months, told the subcommittee she had raised concerns about drinking and drug use in a nearby graveyard and received no council response. Councillors assured her the store would be fitted with CCTV and would have a security guard if needed.
Timeline
October 24: B&M opened its new store in The Oaks shopping centre in Acton.
November 3: Ealing Council's licensing subcommittee granted the alcohol licence.
Market Landscape
B&M's move into a unit previously held by Poundland reflects ongoing competition among UK discount variety chains for prime high-street and shopping-centre space. The licensing dispute shows how alcohol sales are increasingly becoming a point of contention for discount retailers opening in mixed residential areas.
Shoppers in Acton will be able to buy alcohol at the B&M store until 11pm under the new licence, though the chain says it will close alcohol sales earlier. Residents near the store can expect CCTV and possibly a security guard as conditions of the approval.
The takeaway
Local licensing decisions can hinge on conditions like CCTV and staff training rather than on the operator attending the hearing. Residents who have concerns about a nearby premises can raise them directly with their council's licensing team.
Further reading
For more on retail arrivals and departures across the UK, see Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Getwestlondon.
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