Agenda item

7.1   The sub-committee heard from the Principal Licensing Officer, the applicant and the responsible authority (Police). During the course of submissions and a discussion of the application, the sub-committee noted the following:

·  The premises had been operating for several years and it was understood that there was no record of complaints. It was also acknowledged that the premises was outside of the ‘Shoreditch triangle’;

·  The applicant confirmed within the premises there was a small sheltered area for customers to wait for their food orders. When their multiple food orders, customers would be staggered. The applicant was keen to not have customers waiting around;

·  The applicant explained how they would not be contributing to the cumulative impact; they had cut down on the time they serve customers to between one to two minutes. They had also employed a Security Industry Association (SIA) door person to assist with directing customers down the road once they had left the premises with their food order;

·  The applicant explained that a proposed additional hour at the weekend (Friday to Saturday), up to 4am,  would be helpful to the business;

·  The Police explained that they did not see any issues with the premises being open to 4am.

RESOLVED:

The decision

The Licensing Sub-Committee, in considering this decision from the information presented to them within the report and at the hearing and having regard to the promotion of the licensing objectives:

·  The prevention of crime and disorder

·  Public safety

·  Prevention of public nuisance

·  The protection of children from harm

the application to vary a premises licence has been partially approved in accordance with the Council’s Statement of Licensing and the proposed conditions set out in paragraph 8.1 of the report, with the following amendments:

The hours of licensable activity:

Late Night Refreshment:

Friday    23:00 - 04:00

Saturday    23:00 - 04:00

Opening hours

Sunday to Thursday   17:00 - 02:00

Friday to Saturday   17:00 - 04:00

Reasons for the decision

The application to vary this premises licence has been partially approved, as members of the Licensing Sub-committee were satisfied that the licensing objectives would not be undermined in the Shoreditch Special Policy Area (“Shoreditch SPA”) subject to Policy LP10.

The Sub-committee took into consideration that the Metropolitan Police Service (“the Police”) made representations on the grounds of crime and

disorder and prevention of public nuisance in the Shoreditch SPA. The Sub-committee noted no other Responsible Authorities made representations and the Sub-committee took into account that there were no representations made by local residents.

The Sub-committee took into consideration the representations from the

Police objected to the application because the premises is located within the Shoreditch SPA on a junction with a busy main road, which is one of the main egress routes out of Shoreditch, and experiencing an extremely high footfall throughout the days and evenings, particularly at weekends.

The Sub-committee heard that the Police have seen a vast increase in serious violence, disorder and antisocial behaviour in Shoreditch late at night. The Sub-committee heard from the Police that there are crowds of people on the streets after midnight in Shoreditch and the Police regularly receive complaints from local residents in relation to antisocial behaviour, violence, litter and noise.The Sub-committee took into account that the Police feel that an extension of hours will have a huge negative effect on the area.

The Sub-committee heard representations from the Applicant that they have been operating the premises for the last five years with no issues and that the premises is a safe place on the outskirts of Hackney. The Sub-committee heard  from the Applicant that they have a reduced menu, they prepared food ready to go, they have SIA door security on Fridays and Saturdays to carry out checks on the road and to monitor the dispersal from the premises, and to ensure there is no litter outside the premises.

The Applicant contended that on the existing premises licence they close Sunday to Thursday at 02:00, and they would like the extra hour on Fridays and Saturdays which currently closes at 03:00.

After hearing from the Applicant, the Police confirmed that if the Applicant continued operating as they are within an extra hour on Friday and Saturday, the Police would not have any objection to that. The Sub-committee took into consideration the Police said that the Applicant was a good operator, they are trustworthy, and they were happy with the current conditions on the premises licence.

The Sub-committee felt that by granting the extra hour on Fridays and Saturdays until 04:00 this would not add to the cumulative impact in the Shoreditch SPA.

The Sub-committee took into consideration that there were no issues with premises and that it was on the edge of the Shoreditch SPA. The Sub-committee took into consideration that the Applicant was an experienced operator and had a good track record and the Police now had no objections to the additional hour on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Sub-committee after hearing from the Applicant, and the Police, and taking all of the above factors into consideration the Sub-committee was satisfied that by granting this variation of the premises licence, the licensing objectives would continue to be promoted in the Shoreditch SPA.