Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Paul Convery

Councillor Graham substituted for Councillor Convery.

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.

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This applies to all members present at the meeting.

None.

The order of business would be as the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2019 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

Two interested parties were present at the meeting.  One party raised concerns about the cumulative impact in a mainly retail area and also the on sales application. The interested party considered that gifts containing alcohol could be sold online.  A second objector raised concerns about the long licence in relation to on sales and how these were going to operate.

The applicant stated that the premises would be operating on and off sales.  It was located in a cumulative impact area and the cumulative policy had been taken into account during the application.  There was a comprehensive operating schedule, with alcohol only a small amount of the total offer.  On sales would be for ticketed events only, as proposed by the responsible authorities.  There would be approximately 10 people for these events attending for chocolate talks after closing.  They would have a glass of prosecco on arrival and would be tasting chocolates throughout the evening. 

In response to questions, it was noted that objectors had been asked to visit the store to be informed about the business operation but there had been no response received. It was noted that the type of alcohol available for sale was listed as a condition to future proof the use of the licence. The applicant stated that licences were surrendered when Hotel Chocolat left premises although it was accepted that this could not be conditioned.

In summary, the interested party stated that it should be conditioned that the licence be surrendered if Hotel Chocolate left the premises. It was also considered that the long hours were not necessary.

In response to a question to the applicant from the interested parties it was noted that the ticketed events would take place in the evening from between 7-10pm after the store closed.

The applicant stated that this was not a vertical drinking establishment.  All of the Hotel Chocolate stores sold alcohol and had licences.  This amounted to about 30 stores in London. Store training was first class.

RESOLVED

1)        That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of Hotel Chocolat, 14 Upper Street, N1 0PQ be granted to allow:-

·         The supply of alcohol, on and off supplies, Mondays to Saturdays from 9am until 10pm and on Sundays from 10am until 7pm;

·         The premises to be open to the public, Mondays to Saturdays from 8am until 22.15pm and Sundays from 10am until 7.15pm.

2)        That conditions outlined in appendix 4 and detailed on pages 43 and 44 of the agenda 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 Policies 2 & 3.  The premises fall within the Angel and Upper Street cumulative impact area.  Licensing policy 3 creates a rebuttable presumption that applications for the grant or variation of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.

The Sub-Committee noted that this application had been agreed as all representations had been withdrawn.