Spon Mini Market in Coventry City Centre has been ordered to shut for three months after repeated findings of illegal tobacco, vapes and unsafe toys at the premises.
The shop, on Spon Street, was made subject to a Closure Order by Leamington Magistrates Court on 20 May 2026. The order remains in force until midnight on 20 August 2026.
Coventry City Council Trading Standards and Legal teams applied for the order under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 after officers said advice and warnings to operators of the business had not brought the premises into compliance.
Three-month closure on Spon Street
The Closure Order means the store must close completely for the full three-month period. No one is allowed to access or remain on the premises while the order is active.
The council said anyone found breaching the order could face imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Costs of £3,616.94 were awarded to the local authority. The sum was split between the business operators, landlords and agents connected with the premises.
The case is one of several recent enforcement actions in England aimed at shops accused of selling illicit tobacco and vape products. Similar issues have led to shop closures linked to illegal tobacco sales in other cities, while councils have also pursued penalties where officers found illicit vapes and cigarettes.
Illegal tobacco, vapes and unsafe toys found
Trading Standards officers said they had investigated Spon Mini Market on numerous occasions and found large amounts of illicit cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and vapes at the site.
The tobacco found at the premises was described as counterfeit and duty evaded. The council said illegal cigarettes often fail to meet UK labelling rules, including plain packaging requirements, and are sold at prices indicating duty and VAT have not been paid.
Officers also identified toys that raised safety concerns. According to the council, some contained small parts that could create a choking hazard, while other products had not been tested or made to the required safety standards.
For families, that part of the case broadens the concern beyond tax loss and shop enforcement. Unsafe toys can expose children to choking risks, banned chemicals and poor-quality materials that would not pass the checks expected of legitimate products.
Why the risks go beyond one shop
Illegal tobacco and vaping products can undercut law-abiding retailers because they are often sold more cheaply than compliant stock. Councils and Trading Standards teams say that price gap can also make smoking or vaping more accessible to young people.
Public health risks are another concern. The council said illegal tobacco and vaping products can contain very high levels of tar, nicotine and other toxic chemicals.
National Trading Standards has also linked the illicit tobacco trade to organised criminal gangs. Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, said Operation CeCe, a National Trading Standards initiative run with HMRC, had removed 69 million illegal cigarettes, 19,750kg of hand-rolling tobacco and almost 175kg of shisha products from sale since January 2021.
That national context matters locally because enforcement often depends on reports from residents, test purchases, inspections and intelligence built over time. A shop closure is usually one of the stronger tools available when warnings and compliance work have not resolved repeated breaches.
Council says warnings were ignored
Coventry City Council said officers had attempted to work with numerous operators of the business before going to court. The authority said those attempts did not stop the continued sale of illegal goods.
Cllr John McNicholas, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Cohesion, said the closure was good news for residents and law-abiding businesses.
“The Council’s Trading Standards Team is working closely with West Midlands Police and other partners to improve communities and stop commercial crime, and this closure sends an important message to those retailers selling illegal goods,” he said.
He added that Coventry Trading Standards would use available powers to protect the local community and legitimate businesses.
Residents with concerns about similar activity are being asked to submit information anonymously through Coventry Trading Standards using the online reporting form on the council’s website.
Source: Coventry City Council
Source check Source trail
This report is based on Coventry City Council's published notice and keeps the court dates, closure period and enforcement details visible.
- Confirmed the named premises as Spon Mini Market on Spon Street in Coventry City Centre.
- Checked the Closure Order date of 20 May 2026 and expiry at midnight on 20 August 2026.
- Matched the legal basis to the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
- Separated council claims about illegal goods from wider National Trading Standards context...
- Source
- Coventry City Council
- Scope
- Coventry
- Updated
- 2026-06-03 20:11
Source check
Report a trust issue
Send a clear signal to community moderation if the source, facts or context need review.
Comments