Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest, identified in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine: whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

Members are also reminded to declare the nature of the interest at the earliest opportunity and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it is the Members’ responsibility to identify any interests and also update their register of interest form as required by the Code.

If in doubt as to the nature of an interest, you are advised to seek advice prior the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services.

There were no declarations of interest.

The rules of procedure were noted.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee held on 5^th July 2022.

The minutes of the Licensing Sub Committee meeting held on 5^th July were agreed and approved as a correct record. 

At the request of the Chair, Ms Kathy Driver, Licensing Officer, introduced the report which detailed the application for a new premises licence for Flour & Flowers, 408 Hackney Road, London E2 7AP. It was noted that objections had been received from other persons (freeholders of properties nearby) in relation to the prevention of public nuisance and crime and disorder.  

The Sub Committee were made aware that late supporting documents had been received from Mr Shakut, Freeholder and Objector. However, they would not be tabled at the meeting as the applicant had not agreed to these documents being added to the agenda at such short notice.

At the request of the Chair, Mr Vincenzo Senatore, Legal Representative for the applicant Ms Giada Botti, explained that they would be unable to respond to the documents at such short notice.

Mr Senatore explained that the premises was a small coffee shop, selling food, cakes and flowers, and wanted a premises licence in order to sell alcohol ancillary to a meal. He then asked the Sub-Committee to refer to the photos of the premises to familiarise themselves with the layout of the premises. It was noted that the premises opening hours were between 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Sunday, they were very modest hours and therefore unlikely to give rise tp the problems associated with late-night premises.

Mr Senatore then referred the Sub-Committee to the supplemental agenda at pages 25-43, which included statements from customers who were local residents, and families living in the area who frequented the premises and expressed their support. It was noted that the applicant was committed to complying with conditions already agreed with the Responsible Authorities, designed to prevent crime and disorder and public nuisance, such as the maintenance of a CCTV system, and conditions to ensure adequate lighting and address noise emanating from the premises. Mr Senatore stated that the objections made were frivolous and vexatious. Ms Botti explained that the hours applied for were within the Council’s framework hours and that alcohol would only be sold ancillary to a meal. She was happy to accept conditions that the Sub-Committee felt to be necessary and proportionate.

Members then heard from Ms Celia Willis and Mr Shaukat, both freeholders of nearby properties, who both shared similar concerns relating to public nuisance which they felt arose from the premises, in particular noise nuisance. They both referred to complaints made directly to them from their tenants about noise coming from the premises in the early morning before the shop opens. It was noted that the premises had no sound proofing and therefore any noise such as the coffee grinder, coffee machine etc would be heard in nearby premises by residents, affecting their quality of life.

Mr Shaukat shared examples of other kinds of anti-social behaviour and public nuisance occurring generally in the area, but when asked by Members about the link to the applicant’s premises, it was noted from his response that there was no evidence linking any of these behaviours  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.1

This item was resolved prior to the meeting.

The Sub Committee may be requested to extend the decision deadline for applications to be considered at forthcoming meetings due to the volume of applications requiring a hearing.  Where necessary, details will be provided at the meeting.

Members agreed to extend the decision deadlines for the applications below to the dates stated; Licensing applications were extended due to the impact of the pandemic, and were adjourned under regulation 11 of the Licensing Act 2003 (Hearings) Regulations 2005, it was in the public interest to do so, and did not require representation from parties to the applications.