SHOPPERS could soon pick up cider with their stamps as a post office bids for an alcohol licence.

Markandayar Gowrikaran has applied for the licence for WHSmith Local and Post Office in Garnet House, St George’s Road, Brighton.

The application requests permission to sell alcohol off the premises every day between 7am and 10pm.

The applicant has promised to meet council requests not to stock or sell beers, ciders or lagers with an ABV in excess of six per cent.

One letter of objection has been received from a resident who said the premises was already surrounded by six pubs and five off-licences, warning any more could open the floodgates.

Objecting neighbours also questioned the sale of alcohol at a post office and wondered whether that has been attempted anywhere else in the country.

The application bid will be heard this morning from 10am at a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel in Hove Town Hall.

At the same panel, Baked in Church Road, Hove, has applied to extend the hours it can sell alcohol by two hours every day.

It currently has a licence to sell between 11.30am and 9pm but wants to change the licence to sell between 11am and 10.30pm.