Agenda item

The licensing officer informed the Sub-Committee that conditions put forward by Trading Standards had been accepted. It was understood that the licence for 415/417 Holloway Road would be surrendered if this application was granted.

The police objected to this application.  This was in a cumulative impact area on a very busy main route.  There were already 29 licensed premises in an area with a high crime rate and they considered that another off licence would cause the area to suffer further.  They did not think that this would benefit the area.

The licensing authority stated that the applicant had been silent regarding the cumulative impact in his application. 

The public health officer stated that this area had one of the highest specific alcohol concerns.  There had been 53 alcohol related ambulance callouts within a 250m radius of this premises.  The increased number of alcohol outlets resulted in an increase in alcohol related harm.

The applicant stated that when he received an eviction notice from his landlord for 415 Holloway Road he would transfer to this premises.  He tried to work with local residents and the Tufnell Park association and had not had problems.  He had an off licence for 18 years and wanted a licence for this premises for his security.

In response to questions he stated he was trying to sort out his licence without aggravation.  He had a refusals book.  He had not engaged with the police.

In summary the police stated that this licence should not be granted.

The applicant stated that he would not open until he received the eviction notice for the other premises.

RESOLVED that the application for a new premises licence in respect of Mereb, 411 Holloway Road, N7 6HJ be refused.

REASONS FOR DECISION

This was an application for a new off supplies premises licence.

The Sub-Committee considered the written application and written representations from the responsible authorities and the verbal representations made at the hearing.

The Sub-committee further took into consideration that there had been very little engagement between the applicant and the responsible authorities prior to submitting the application and the period thereafter.

The Sub-Committee considered that the premises in question were in a cumulative impact area and that there were ten off licences in the area and one across the road. They also took the concerns of Public Health into consideration and the fact that street drinking is a problem in that area.

The applicant submitted that he was the licensee for another premises nearby and that he was concerned that he was about to be evicted from those premises.  This application had been brought as a form of security for him in the event that he was evicted from the other premises.

In addition thereto, the Sub-Committee was of the opinion that the applicant failed to demonstrate that he understood his obligations as a licensee in promoting the licensing objectives.

It was found that he failed to demonstrate why the operation of the premises involved would not add to the cumulative impact or otherwise impact adversely on the promotion of the licensing objectives. Licensing Policy 4 also applied.

The application was accordingly refused.