Newcastle-under-Lyme calls for tougher powers over shops linked to illicit vapes

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is asking ministers to give courts stronger powers to close premises persistently linked to criminal activity, including the sale of illicit vapes.

The council said on 1 October 2026 that its full council had backed a motion seeking discretionary permanent closure orders for the most serious or repeated cases. The motion follows local enforcement work with Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards, including three-month closure orders against Simba’s on Newcastle High Street and Cobra Vape Shop earlier in the summer.

Under the existing approach described by the council, closure orders are limited to three months, with the possibility of a further three-month extension. The council argues that some premises may then reopen, sometimes under a different trading name, despite earlier enforcement.

What the council wants

The motion supports government proposals to increase the maximum duration of closure orders to 12 months, but says ministers should go further. It calls for magistrates to be able to order permanent closure where a premises has been persistently or seriously used for criminal activity and where such a step is necessary and proportionate.

The council is also seeking a commercial landlord accountability scheme and wants county council Trading Standards teams in two-tier areas, such as Staffordshire, to be able to exercise closure notice and closure order powers directly. It also wants criminal behaviour on premises to be made an explicit ground for issuing an initial closure notice.

Why adult vapers should care

The announcement is about enforcement powers rather than a product test. It does not publish a list of seized vape products or laboratory results. Even so, it sits within a wider UK concern about shops selling non-compliant vaping products alongside illegal tobacco and counterfeit goods.

Current MHRA guidance says nicotine vape tanks are restricted to 2ml, nicotine-containing e-liquid refill containers are restricted to 10ml, and e-liquids are restricted to 20mg/ml nicotine strength. Separate GOV.UK guidance says businesses must not sell, supply, offer to sell, or stock single-use vapes for supply. For adults who vape, the practical point is to avoid informal supply routes and be wary of products whose capacity, labelling or format sits outside UK rules.