Second Hartlepool Shop Closed By Court Order.....

Raby Rd, Hartlepool

The Quick Shop in Hartlepool's Raby Road was closed down by Magistrates at Teesside Court earlier this week...

3rd August 2025

A second shop in Hartlepool has been shut down by magistrates this week after reportedly being linked to organised criminal activity, sparking renewed concern about the use of local businesses in the area being used for unlawful purposes.

The premises, located at 129 Raby Road Hartlepool and trading under the name 'The Quick Shop' was closed by a court order at Teesside Magistrates’ Court earlier this week following an application by Hartlepool Borough Council, & supported by Cleveland Police.

Its claimed Hartlepool Borough Council sought the closure order after numerous unspecified reports of illegal activity connected to the shop. Magistrates agreed that the premises posed a serious concern to the local community and granted the order, leading to its immediate closure.

A store in Murray Street Hartlepool was also closed by a court order earlier this week.

It's the second such closure in a matter of days, where earlier this week, The Teesside & Durham Post reported on the court-ordered closure of the Afreen Super Store in Hartlepool's Murray Street, following a joint raid by HM Revenue & Customs and Border Force officers just weeks prior. That operation reportedly uncovered evidence serious enough for magistrates to shut down the premises when the application was presented to Teesside Magistrate's Court earlier this week.

However, locals have since reported that just days after the Afreen Super Store’s closure, a new shop opened just metres away, seemingly run by the same individuals, this time, operating under a different name.

This 'revolving-door tactic' has raised concerns in the local community, with many questioning how effective closure orders can be when shop owners simply relocate and reopen nearby. There's also said to be growing concerns over the cost to local taxpayers, who are footing the bill for the repeated legal proceedings and enforcement actions.

Under current legislation, closure orders last for three months, but they can be extended by a further application to the court.

Stronger Enforcement Powers Needed

Residents and campaigners are now calling for stronger enforcement powers to prevent repeat offenders from exploiting loopholes in the system as well as the Landlords of the shops who are assisting the offenders undermining the efforts of police and the council to clean up Hartlepool’s streets.