Agenda item
Application for a New Premises Licence for Poplar Spice Ltd, 185 East India Dock Road, London E14 0EA
Minutes:
At the request of the Chair, Mr Alex Lisowski. Licensing Officer, introduced the report which detailed the application for a new premises licence for Poplar Spice Ltd, 185 East India Dock Road, London E14 0EA. It was noted that there had been objections from local residents, Licensing Authority and the Metropolitan Police.
It was noted that the Applicant was not present at the meeting. The Clerk confirmed that the Applicant had been sent notification letters and agendas within the prescribed timelines. However, there had been no correspondence, from Applicant to Democratic Services or Licensing Services.
In the absence of the Applicant the Chair stated that they would consider the paper application contained within the agenda and asked the Police Officer to make a brief submission in relation to their representation.
Members heard from PC Mark Perry, Metropolitan Police who explained that the area was a residential area with young families. He stated that by granting a late licence would cause a significant risk of increased anti-social behaviour in the early hours of the morning from customers leaving the premises and congregating around the premise to consume food. He also mentioned that the premises was in close proximity to Chrisp Street Market which suffered from anti-social behaviour especially from gangs of people congregating, smoking, taking drugs and alcohol and causing alarm and distress to residents.
It was also noted that during a recent test purchase visit the premises was found to be open beyond trading hours without a licence, when the manager was approached he stated that he had assumed he had a licence to open until midnight.
He concluded that the Police have tried to contact the Applicant to discuss licensing objectives but have received no reply and given the lack of conditions offered or measures put in place by the Applicant in the application to deal with potential crime and disorder the police continue to object to the application and request for refusal.
Members briefly discussed amongst themselves and the Chair stated that;
The Licensing Objectives
In considering the application, Members were required to consider the same in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003 (as amended), the Licensing Objectives, the Home Office Guidance and the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.
Consideration
Each application must be considered on its own merits and the Chair stated that the Sub Committee had carefully considered all of the evidence before them, it was noted that the Applicant was not present at the meeting and had no correspondence with Democratic Services and Licensing Services despite being sent notification of the meeting and the agenda within the prescribed timelines. Therefore Members noted the written application contained in the agenda and briefly heard representation from the Police.
Members noted the concerns of public nuisance and anti-social behaviour in the area and noted that the premise was found to be open outside trading hours. Members believed that the lack of attendance at the meeting showed a lack of confidence in the applicant to uphold the licensing objectives and taking into consideration the objections raised Members unanimously refused the application.
Decision
Accordingly, the Sub-Committee unanimously –
RESOLVED
That the application for a New Premises Licence for Poplar Spice, 185 East India Dock Road, London E14 0EA be REFUSED.
Supporting documents: