A MOVE by NHS Fife to persuade councillors not to allow more space for alcohol sales at the new Lidl store in Cowdenbeath was thrown out by councillors.

The health board lodged a formal objection to Lidl's application to vary the internal lay-out of its store at the new retail park at North End Park.

NHS Fife lodged their objection 'to prevent a creeping increase' in the volume of alcohol available in Cowdenbeath.

Fife Licensing Board were told by consultant in public medicine, Paul Madill, that it was 'an application for a variation in an area which already had high levels of alcohol related harm and suffered from high deprivation'.

He told councillors that Cowdenbeath had the second highest rate of alcohol related stays in hospital in Fife with 12 outlets selling alcohol within 800 metres of the town centre.

Mr Madill called for the application to be refused.

Lid's representative said there could be no link between the store and alcohol harm and it would not open until January and the overall amount of floor space to be given over to alcohol display was just five percent.

Their shelving spacing allowed larger stock ranges for all products.

The application was approved unanimously.