A shopkeeper selling fireworks has been fined after committing serious offences that put the safety of customers, staff, and people living in flats above the shop at risk.

At Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 20 October, Abdullah Hassan, of Lilly Green Lane in Redditch, pleaded guilty to offences relating to the storage of fireworks at his shop Alpha Digital Systems in Lady Margaret Road, Southall.

The offences were serious enough that a prison sentence was a possible penalty. Instead, he was given a 12-month community order requiring him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £769 and ordered to pay £2,000 in court costs and a victim surcharge of £308 – a total of £3,077.

Risk to residents and the public

Magistrates were told that Ealing Council trading standards officers inspected the shop in October 2025 after the business had been granted a licence to store up to 75 kilos of fireworks. The licence limited the amount of fireworks that could be stored at the shop, to help keep people safe in the event of an emergency. However, during the inspection, officers found 97 kilos of fireworks on site, including more powerful fireworks that were not covered by the licence.

The fireworks were being stored throughout the shop, including in areas accessible to the public, contrary to safety guidance. Officers found that many of the fireworks were not being stored securely and safely.

People live in flats above the shop. The court heard that the way the fireworks were stored created a serious risk of fire or explosion, potentially affecting employees, the people living above the shop, and the wider public.

Illegal underage sale

Five days after the inspection in October 2025, a 15-year-old volunteer acting as part of a trading standards test purchase operation was sold fireworks at the shop without being challenged about his age. The sale took place despite officers warning the business about underage sales during the previous inspection.

It is illegal to sell most fireworks to anyone under the age of 18.

In earlier proceedings on 18 August, also at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, Abdullah Hassan’s father, Asif Hassan, of Lady Margaret Road in Southall, pleaded guilty to selling fireworks to a person under the age of 18. He was fined £492 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £197 – a total of £689.

Keeping residents safe

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Residents have a right to expect businesses storing and selling fireworks to follow the law and put safety first.

“This case involved serious failings that created risks for local people, including families living above the shop, and resulted in fireworks being sold to a child.

“We will continue to take the strongest possible action against businesses that put people at risk.”

Firework safety advice

If you are planning to buy fireworks, only purchase them from reputable traders and make sure they carry the correct UK safety markings.

Fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, except on certain dates including Bonfire Night, when the cut-off is midnight, and Diwali, New Year’s Eve, and Chinese New Year, when fireworks can be used until 1am.

If you experience noise or nuisance from fireworks and you think laws relating to firework curfews are being breached, contact the police on 101. In an emergency, always call 999.

You can also report persistent noise nuisance from fireworks or parties to Ealing Council’s noise and nuisance service.