Agenda and minutes

Councillor Angelo Weekes welcomed everyone to the meeting and officers and members introduced themselves.  The procedure for the conduct of the meeting was outlined.

None.

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If you have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest* in an item of business:

§  if it is not yet on the council’s register, you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent;

§  you may choose to declare a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest that is already in the register in the interests of openness and transparency. 

In both the above cases, you must leave the room without participating in discussion of the item.

If you have a personal interest in an item of business and you intend to speak or vote on the item you must declare both the existence and details of it at the start of the meeting or when it becomes apparent but you may participate in the discussion and vote on the item.

*(a)Employment, etc - Any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

(b) Sponsorship - Any payment or other financial benefit in respect of your expenses in carrying out duties as a member, or of your election; including from a trade union.

(c) Contracts - Any current contract for goods, services or works, between you or your partner (or a body in which one of you has a beneficial interest) and the council.

(d) Land - Any beneficial interest in land which is within the council’s area.

(e) Licences- Any licence to occupy land in the council’s area for a month or longer.

(f) Corporate tenancies - Any tenancy between the council and a body in which you or your partner have a beneficial interest.

 (g) Securities - Any beneficial interest in securities of a body which has a place of business or land in the council’s area, if the total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body or of any one class of its issued share capital. 

This applies to all members present at the meeting.

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The order of business would be B3 followed by B1. Item B2 had been deferred to a future meeting at the request of the applicant.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2023 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

The Licensing officer reported that a summary from the applicant had been circulated.  An amended copy of the conditions, the dispersal policy, an operation manual and the security plan had also been circulated.  It was noted that planning had confirmed that they were satisfied that as this was an application for a nightclub which had sui generis use; there was no requirement for an application for planning permission.

The Licensing Authority stated that the new documents circulated were quite comprehensive. They were satisfied that these operators had no links to the previous operators. They had held discussions about hours with the applicants and, although there had been an amendment to the hours requested, they would want to maintain their representation with the operating hours as framework, until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays and at 1am during the week. They had concerns regarding the search and security check area and asked that the applicant clarify where this would be happening as part of their submission. The Police stated that they were satisfied that this was a distinct outfit with no connection to the previous operators. They had no concerns regarding the experience of the applicants’, but this was a new nightclub in a challenging area with previous issues regarding patrons and parking problems. They had good dialogue with the applicants’, and they had put together a series of comprehensive documents which were vital should a serious incident occur. They were content with the application up to framework hours. The risk of drugs and serious incidents in nightclubs were high. The noise team said that the applicant had agreed conditions to help prevent noise from amplified music and patrons’ dispersal to a noise management plan. The applicants’ had engaged well but the noise team would prefer the granting of a licence at framework hours.

The applicant’s representative stated that they were aware of the history of the site. He thanked the Responsible Authorities for the work that had been carried out regarding the application. He submitted further amendments to hours to be Sunday to Thursday for the sale of alcohol to 1am with late night refreshment to 1.30am and on Friday and Saturdays, the hours for the sale of alcohol to 2.30 or 2.40am with a 3am closing time to allow for dispersal. However, it was accepted that this was a matter for the Sub-Committee.  He stated that the applicants had more than 35 years’ experience and they had no connection with the previous operator. They had included all conditions on the previous licence, a further 24 conditions agreed with the police and noise team and two additional conditions on critical incidents procedures and parking. Work experience history was detailed in the circulated summary and the applicants were already working in live events. They would be working with music promoters, the music venue trust, local councillors and the GLA and requested these hours be granted, particularly in terms of sustainability. With regard to the searching policy, they would have a robust random  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

The Sub-Committee noted that this item had been deferred to a future meeting by the applicant.

The licensing officer reported that there was no additional documentation to the report.

The applicant’s representative stated that the applicant had 23 years’ experience.  He had held a personal licence since 2003 and had owned shops previously.   The shop was a convenience community store. The premises was not in a cumulative impact zone. Opening times would be the same as for the sale of alcohol so there would be no risk in selling alcohol without shutters. Conditions had been agreed with the police and the noise team. Conditions were proposed to discourage street drinking which included, drinks being sold with less that 5.5% abv and no small bottles of spirits. Invoices would be kept. There had been no representations from the responsible authorities and two objections from residents with one resident in support. There had been an issue raised about untidiness outside, but this was not outside this premises and was over the road. There was a condition to keep the area tidy. CCTV would prevent loitering and patrons would be asked to leave the area. It was not considered that the premises would cause problems with residents. It was a community-based shop and the applicant would not wish to upset the neighbours which would be bad for business. He considered that concerns raised by residents would be addressed with the proposed conditions.

In response to questions from members it was noted that a contact number would be placed in the shop window for residents. Any complaints would be noted in the incident book.

In summary, it was noted that the applicant was an experienced operator and had never had any problems with the police. This was a community shop and it was expected to achieve a regular customer base.

RESOLVED

1)      That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of Fairbridge Mini Market, 163a Fairbridge Road, N19 3HS, be granted to allow:-

a)          The sale of alcohol, off supplies only from Mondays to Sundays from 8am to 11pm.

b)          The premises opening hours to be Monday to Sundays from 8am to 11pm.

Conditions as detailed at pages 154 to 157 of the agenda shall be applied to the licence.

REASONS FOR DECISION

The Sub-Committee listened to all the evidence and submissions and read all the material. The Sub-Committee reached the decision having given consideration to the Licensing Act 2003, as amended, and its regulations, the national guidance and the Council’s Licensing Policy.

The Sub-Committee took into consideration Licensing Policy 4.  The Council has adopted a special policy relating to cumulative impact in relation to shops and other premises selling alcohol for consumption off the premises.  Licensing policy 4 creates a rebuttable presumption that applications for the grant or variation of premises licences which are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused or subject to certain limitations, following the receipt of representations, unless the applicant can demonstrate in the operating schedule that there will be no negative cumulative impact on one or more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.