Agenda item

The licensing officer reported that a letter had been circulated from the applicant. There was one objection from a local resident who was mainly concerned about the cumulative impact.

The applicant was unable to attend the meeting and his business partner spoke in support of the application. He had worked as a chef for 15 years in Farringdon. He stated that this was a food led business which served wine with food. There would be no vertical drinking. The applicant had a premises in Dalston and was looking to move to Exmouth Market. They had read and understood the Licensing Policy. Customers would enjoy wine with their meals and perhaps take wine home with them.

In response to questions, it was noted that the seating area and smokers outside would be monitored. There was CCTV both inside and outside. They had applied for off sales. They had a separate shop that would sell alcohol and would deliver alcohol. There would be no deliveries of alcohol from this premises.

RESOLVED

1)      That the application for a new premises licence, in respect of Quite Good Food and Wine, 51 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QL be granted to allow:-

a)    The supply of alcohol, for consumption on and off the premises from 12 noon until 10pm Sunday to Tuesday and from 12 noon until 11pm Wednesday to Saturday.

b)    The premises to be open to the public from 12 noon until 10.30pm Sunday to Tuesday and from 12 noon until 11.30pm on Wednesday to Saturday.

2)      That conditions detailed on pages 135 to 135 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 Clerkenwell 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 receipt of representations, unless the applicant can demonstrate in the operating schedule that there will be no negative cumulative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives.

One local resident objection had been received but the resident did not attend.  Conditions had been agreed with the Police and the Noise Team. 

The Sub-Committee noted that the hours sought were within the hours specified in licensing policy 6.

The Sub-Committee heard evidence from the chef at the premises that he had been working for 15 years in the industry and was aware of the Licensing objectives. The application was for a food led premises with no vertical drinking and in agreement with the Licensing Policy the applicant would use a waste management system used elsewhere on Exmouth Market. The applicant confirmed that they supported pubwatch and that any alcohol off sales would be purely for taking home for customers to enjoy. When asked by the Sub-Committee about outside seating, the applicant confirmed that there would be seating outside until 10pm and that it would be monitored and that there was CCTV. He confirmed likewise for smoking.  He confirmed that there would be no deliveries from this premises.

The Sub-Committee concluded that the granting of the licence with the agreed conditions would promote the licensing objectives. The Sub-Committee noted that the hours sought were within the hours specified in licensing policy 5 and 6.  The Sub-Committee was satisfied that the applicant would demonstrate high standards of management and that the proposed use, with the conditions agreed, meant that the premises would not add to the cumulative impact.

The Sub-Committee was satisfied that granting the premises licence was proportionate and appropriate to the promotion of the licensing objectives.