High street shop that sold vapes to minors faces permanent closure

A high street convenience store that sold illegal tobacco and vapes to minors will not be re-opening. On the 6th of October 2026, a first gazette notice was published stating that Aziz Bryar Dara Hama, the authorising director of the company applied for a voluntary dissolution of Yellow Express Market Ltd. 

Yellow Express was ordered to shut for three months in April 2026 after Essex Trading Standards carried out multiple raids and discovered the store had repeatedly sold unregulated tobacco and vapes including, on occasion, to minors.  The store has now remained shut for six months, with the landlord putting the unit up for rent in early September.

John Morris, Councillor for Witham West and Rural said: “Residents quite rightly expect businesses to operate within the law. If the premises is not reopening, I believe many local people will find that reassuring.”

This is the second company Mr Hama has dissolved as authorising director this year. He was previously linked to Candyland Braintree Ltd which was dissolved on the 3rd March 2026 after the shop was fined £12,000 for selling illegal cigarettes.

Despite being the authorising director for both companies, Mr Hama has not been named in any court proceedings and has faced no legal action. Mr Hama has no contact details available and was unable to be contacted for comment. 

While the convenience store will not be re-opening, there is a second company registered at the same address with an almost identical name: Yellow Express Store Ltd. This company previously applied to strike itself off but suspended the motion on the 8th of May 2026, just two weeks after Yellow Express was forced to close. The company is still active.

As of the 16th of October 2026, the unit is under construction.