Agenda and minutes

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

None.

There were no declarations of substitute members.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

The order of business would be as the agenda.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2021 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

The licensing officer reported that three further documents had been circulated following agenda despatch.  These included a Fire Risk Assessment, the Code of Conduct and Behaviour and a response from the applicant to the representations. All conditions from the Licensing Authority and the Noise Team had been agreed and the Licensing Authority had accepted the 10pm close of the external seating area. The applicant had accepted a condition of no deliveries.  There were no residents in attendance.

The applicant stated that he had accepted all the conditions and the police had agreed the CCTV.  In response to questions about the cumulative impact policy, his agent, who supported him at the hearing, stated that this was a café and the applicant had taken comprehensive steps to ensure all people were safe. Customers would have an option of having alcohol with food.  The premises would not be alcohol led and was not a pub. He had been working closely with the applicant and he would be compliant and ready to work with the authorities. Regarding concerns about a terrace that had been built without planning permission, the applicant’s representative advised that this did not require planning permission and was an area for two or three customers to smoke.  The licensing officer confirmed that she had been advised that the terrace did not need planning permission but should not be used as a smoking area as it was an enclosed space. A fire risk assessment had been conducted and a fire alarm system had been installed. The agent could answer the questions on this assessment. Food would be delivered to the premises using reputable delivery services although this would be used very rarely.  Food served would be mainly sandwiches and light Eritrean food and snacks.

In summary, the licensing officer stated that she had met with the applicant and had gone through all of the conditions with him.

The applicant’s representative stated that there had been a fire risk assessment and policies in place. He considered that the premises would be good for the local authority.  He stated that it would be prudent to allow the licence and the applicant would comply with the regulations.

RESOLVED

1)     That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of Aquilla Café, 151A Copenhagen Street, N1 0SR be granted to allow:-

a)   The sale of alcohol, on and off sales from 1pm until 11pm Monday to Thursday, 1pm until midnight on Friday, from noon until midnight on Saturday and from noon until 10pm on Sunday.

b)   Late night refreshment from 11pm until midnight on Friday and Saturday.

c)    Opening hours to be from 8am until 11pm Monday to Thursday and from 8am until midnight on Friday and Saturday and from 8am until 10pm on Sunday.

2)     That conditions detailed on pages 51 – 55 of the agenda be applied to the licence.

REASONS FOR DECISION

This meeting was facilitated by Zoom.

The Sub-Committee listened to all the evidence and submissions and read all the material.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 136.

The licensing officer reported that a summary of the submission had been circulated to members and interested parties.

The applicant’s representative stated that this was a premises with limited hours, from 11am until 9pm, and was an off sales business with tasting events.  Tickets for the tasting events would be sold in advance.  Sit down events would have a maximum of 10 patrons and standing events would have a maximum of 30 patrons. The premises would sell high end wine from America at an average of £25-£30 per bottle. There had been negotiations with the police and the noise team and conditions had been revised and were on pages 2-6 of the circulated document.  Hours were limited and the price point would determine the type of customer. Wine would be consumed on the premises at tasting events. Standing up events would be in the region of £30 a ticket and seated events were £80 a ticket. Standing events were not anticipated to be the main event. The conditions proposed ensured that the premises could not be turned into a bar. Planning consent was correct.  The premises would not impact on the cumulative impact area. The hours would be limited. On sales would be through a paid ticket.  This was a specialist niche independent shop with a maximum of 30 people. The police and the environmental pollution team supported the application. He invited the Sub-Committee to grant the application with amended conditions. The applicant stated that this was a specialist business.  He and his daughter had travelled to the West Coast of America and had a passion for products from California and Oregon. Tastings were integral to the business. He believed that this was the only shop of its type in London.

In response to a question about the noise the applicant stated that the standing events were likely to be one or two a month although they would be demand driven.

RESOLVED

1)     That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of Pacific Wines, 102 Islington High Street, N1 8EG, be granted to allow:-

a)   The sale of alcohol, on and off the premises on Monday to Sunday from 11am until 9pm.

b)   The premises to be open to the public from 12:00 until 01:00 Monday to Sunday.

2)     That conditions detailed on page 85 to 87 of the agenda be applied to the licence.

REASONS FOR DECISION

This meeting was facilitated by Zoom.

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 premises licences which are likely to add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused following the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 137.

The licensing officer reported that additional papers received from the applicant had been circulated to the Sub-Committee following agenda despatch.

A resident stated that there was anti-social behaviour on York Way which spilled over into Camden Mews which included drug dealing and urination. He was concerned that if this establishment was not managed well the anti-social behaviour would be left for residents as the police did not deal with the bad behaviour.  He was not objecting to the establishment but was concerned about the late hours and the anti-social behaviour.  The noise team was not available when most needed and he was concerned about the noise from music in addition to the problems that residents already had.  A second resident stated that problems included the behaviour of people that came into the area and loud music which was played which was amplified. He was concerned that the applicant had not stated in the application that he was applying for music on the premises.  A third resident stated that amplified music was a large problem.  People visiting pulled up in cars and Councils needed to step in and manage the behaviour.  She was concerned about the tables and chairs outside the premises as loud conversations could be heard. 

The residents indicated for the Sub-Committee the location of the premises in relation to Camden Mews.

The applicant’s representative stated that the Live Music Act 2012 deregulated live music and allowed premises which sold alcohol to play amplified live music or recorded music up until 11pm.  The applicant only required background music but to restrict this to possible future use the applicant had agreed conditions with the noise team.  If music was heard from the premises, this would be a breach of condition. Patrons would be seated except for during wine tasting events and this was reflected in proposed condition 27.  York Way was a very busy road with bookmakers, pubs, cafes and smart shops.  The police had spoken with the owners and agreed a large number of conditions.  Future licensees would not be able to run any other type of operation without a new application. The premises could not be run as a bar as conditions were proposed that all patrons had to be seated, except in relation to wine tasting events, and the premises had to operate as a delicatessen/wine shop so could not be operated as an off licence. Residents were concerned about litter from take away food but this premises would not add to that problem and there was no reason for patrons to hang around the area.  There would be four additional covers with two outside tables and four chairs and this could be the difference between profit and loss for the business. Tables and chairs also encouraged customers to the business so was a useful marketing tool.  Four people at tables outside would not be heard above the noise of a busy road. It was considered that the business was an exception to the licensing policy.  Alcohol  ...  view the full minutes text for item 138.