An off-licence has been denied the right to sell booze 24 hours a day after the NHS opposed the application.

The proprietors of Narsi Local, in Junction Road, Archway, also known as B and S Food and Wine, claim they need a round the clock licence to make the business work, but the licensing committee turned down their request on August 30.

It is thought to be the first time the NHS has waded into to a licensing application in Islington.

Charlotte Ashton, a consultant in public health for NHS Central London, said that if granted, the licence could lead to “an increase in public nuisance, crime and disorder and impact adversely on the health of both those buying and consuming the alcohol, but also the health of others who come into contact with them.”

In a letter to the council she added: “The impact of alcohol on health in Islington is particularly severe...Islington has the second highest rate in London for hospital admissions where alcohol is the specific cause of admission.”