A SHOP owner selling beer and spirits with no licence could not attend a council hearing because he was stranded in China due to Typhoon Maria.

Trading standards officer visited oriental grocers Yun Feng Oriental Food Store in London Road, Brighton, three times and found spirits, beer, and lychee and rice wine on sale.

But only now is owner Guocheng Zhang, 49, known as John, applying for a drinks licence.

He was not at a meeting on Friday to discuss the matter.

He contacted the council to say that he was stuck in China because of Typhoon Maria.

Council licensing officers asked for a statement from him but received nothing.

Sussex Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood said: “The problem is the lack of information.

“It is not clear what they want to do, especially as they were found selling beers and spirits without a licence.

“If they said they do not want to sell beers and spirits but want to sell rice wine and things for cooking, we could look at this.

“But there is a lack of information prior to applying.”

The Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel heard how – after a spot check on Tuesday January 16 – trading standards officers sent a warning letter to Mr Zhang.

During a follow-up check three days later, officers found alcohol was still on sale.

They explained to the person working there that a personal licence was not sufficient.

They carried out a third spot check the following Wednesday and found cooking wine was still on sale.

Officers told shop workers to take it off the shelves.

A key section of the licence application form from the owner was left blank.

The panel will inform Mr Zhang and all interested parties of their decision later.