Agenda item

The licensing officer reported that a response from a residents meeting had been tabled.  The Chair stated they had all read the letter and it had been helpful.  The letter would be interleaved with the agenda papers.

The applicant’s agent stated that he had considered the licensing policy hours.  He understood the concerns of the residents given the previous history of the premises.  The applicant had been recommended and this would be a different type of premises to the previous one.  This would be a top class Italian restaurant with no regulated entertainment.  The residents meeting went well but he understood that not everyone present was convinced.

In response to questions, the applicant stated for thirty years he had been a sommelier and manager of premises.  He would be the designated premises supervisor and would be on the premises about 4-6 hours each day.  This business would be his main priority.  About ten years ago he had run a restaurant as a manager but not as the owner.  He planned to engage with the community and build confidence.  He stated he was a qualified sommelier and had considered wine tastings at the premises.  The previous occupier owned the building, rented out the flat upstairs and lived locally but would not have any day to day involvement with the business.  This was not an application for an off licence.  The applicant welcomed a condition that the previous owner would not have any involvement in the business.

RESOLVED

1)               That the application for a new premises licence in respect of Angelo’s Italian, 156A Seven Sisters Road, N7 7PS be granted.

a)           To permit the on sales of alcohol at the premises on Monday to Saturday from 11:00 until 23:00 and Sunday from 11:00 until 22:30.

b)           The opening hours of the premises to be Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 23:30 and from Sunday from 10:00 until 23:00.   

2)               Conditions as detailed on page 87 of the agenda shall be applied to the licence with the following additional condition:-

·          Mr Detar Hekuri will have no involvement in any licensable activity at the premises.

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 2.  The premises fall under the Holloway and Finsbury Park cumulative impact area.  Licensing policy 2 creates a rebuttable presumption that new applications for premises licences that are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused, unless an applicant can demonstrate why the operation of the premises involved will not add to the cumulative impact or otherwise impact adversely on the promotion of the licensing objectives.

There were four local resident objections.  The Sub-Committee were provided with a statement on behalf of the residents who were unable to attend.

The Sub-Committee noted that there had been a licence at the premises in the recent past that had been revoked following a history of problems with the previous management.  The interested parties were concerned that this application was connected to the previous management.  The applicant’s representative stated that the previous licence holder was the freeholder so would continue to have some contact with the premises but agreed to a condition being imposed on the licence, if it was granted, that the previous licence holder would not have any involvement in licensable activities at the premises.

The Sub-Committee noted that the hours sought were within the hours specified in licensing policy 8 and considered that the application fell within the exception to licensing policy 2 in that it was a small premises operating within hours specified and the premises were not alcohol led.  The Sub-Committee also considered licensing policy 9, regarding the operating schedule.

In granting the application, the Sub-Committee took the view that, with the conditions, the licensing objectives would be promoted.

Note of the Committee

The Chair stated that this had been a troubled venue and there was an expectation that in granting a new premises licence, the applicant would build bridges with residents who had been adversely affected by the previous licence holder.