Coventry shop shut over illegal tobacco and unsafe toys: local impact

Spon Mini Market in Coventry city centre has been ordered to close for three months after repeated sales of illegal tobacco, vapes and unsafe toys.

The Spon Street premises was made subject to a Closure Order at Leamington Magistrates Court on 20 May 2026, following an application by Coventry City Council’s Trading Standards and Legal teams. The order remains in force until midnight on 20 August 2026.

The closure means the shop must remain completely shut, and no one is allowed to enter or stay inside the premises while the order is active. Anyone breaching the order could face imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Three-month closure on Spon Street

The Closure Order was granted under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 after Trading Standards officers investigated the premises over a period of time.

According to the council, officers found large amounts of illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and vapes at the shop on numerous occasions, echoing wider concerns raised by recent vape checks. The authority said sales of illegal goods continued despite attempts to bring operators of the business into compliance.

Costs of £3,616.94 were awarded to the council. These were split between business operators, landlords and agents connected with the premises.

The action places Spon Mini Market among a growing number of shops across England facing closure or prosecution over illicit tobacco and vape sales. Similar enforcement has been reported in other areas, including Nottingham illegal tobacco cases, where shops were shut after Trading Standards investigations.

Illegal tobacco, vapes and toys found

Trading Standards officers said the tobacco found at Spon Mini Market was counterfeit and duty evaded. Illegal cigarettes and tobacco often fail to meet UK labelling requirements, including plain packaging rules, and their low prices can indicate that duty and VAT have not been paid.

The council said the premises had also sold vapes and toys that raised safety concerns. Officers reported that some toys contained small parts capable of causing a choking hazard, while other products had not been tested or made to appropriate safety standards.

For residents, the case is not only about a single city centre shop. Illegal tobacco and non-compliant vaping products can undercut legitimate retailers, make age-restricted products easier to obtain, and contribute to wider anti-social behaviour around problem premises.

The council also linked the trade to organised crime, saying it increases pressure on law enforcement and diverts money away from communities.

Health and child safety risks

Illegal tobacco and vaping products can carry serious public health risks. The council said such products may contain very high levels of tar, nicotine and other toxic chemicals.

Lower prices can also make cigarettes and vapes more accessible to children and young people. That is one of the reasons Trading Standards teams treat illicit sales as both a consumer protection issue and a community safety issue.

Unsafe toys add a separate risk for families. Counterfeit or non-compliant toys may contain banned chemicals, present choking hazards, or be made without the testing required for children’s products. The council warned that cheaper toys can have severe consequences when safety standards are ignored.

Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said the illicit tobacco trade is driven by organised criminal gangs and poses risks to local communities, especially young people. He said Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative with HMRC, has removed 69 million illegal cigarettes, 19,750kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale since January 2021.

Coventry Trading Standards warning

Cllr John McNicholas, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion, said the closure was good news for residents and law-abiding businesses.

He said Coventry City Council Trading Standards was working with West Midlands Police and other partners to improve communities and stop commercial crime, adding that the closure sends a message to retailers selling illegal goods.

“Coventry Trading Standards will use all available powers to protect the local community and legitimate businesses,” he said.

The council is asking residents with concerns about counterfeit goods, illegal tobacco, vapes or unsafe products to report information anonymously through the Coventry Trading Standards online reporting form on the council’s website.

Source: Coventry City Council

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This report is based on Coventry City Council’s published notice and keeps the court date, closure period and named premises visible.

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• Confirmed the named premises as Spon Mini Market on Spon Street in Coventry City Centre.
• Checked the Closure Order date as 20 May 2026 and the expiry as midnight on 20 August 2026...
• Matched the enforcement basis to the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
• Separated council claims about illegal tobacco, vapes and toy safety risks from wider enfo...

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Coventry City Council

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Coventry

Updated

2026-06-04 22:56

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Article contextPeople & topics2#7

John McNicholasMichael Bichard

#Closure Order#Coventry City Centre#Illegal Tobacco#Spon Mini Market#Spon Street#trading standards#Unsafe toys

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