Agenda and minutes

To agree the procedure rules for remote meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on remote meetings be agreed.

There were no apologies.

There were no declarations of interest.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes’.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair made the following announcement: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes’.

There was no notification of items of urgent business.

To approve the minutes of the meetings held on:

(i)              14^th December 2023

(ii)             11^th January 2024

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meetings held on 14^th December 2023 and 11^th January 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meetings held on 14^th December 2023 and 11^th January 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director, Supporting Communities.

This is an application for a new premises licence under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.

Consideration was given to a report of the Executive Director, Supporting Communities detailing an application for a new premises licence under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The Licensing Officer introduced the report and confirmed that the Metropolitan Police representation had been withdrawn following the Applicant negotiating agreed conditions with them. The meeting was also informed that the premises was not located in a cumulative impact special policy area and was only proposing to operate within framework hours.

An Interested Party, Edelle Carr, addressed the meeting on behalf of Red Carpet Estates who were the managing agents for the building adjacent to the courtyard situated at the rear of the premises. She made the following points in her submission:

·       The bedrooms of flats in the block backed onto the courtyard where the Applicant’s business was located;

·       Residents were concerned about people drinking and smoking in the courtyard;

·       If the premises was to be primarily take-away, there were concerns about people queuing outside and the gathering of delivery drivers in the area;

·       The area was residential and was not suitable for a retail premises where customers would be arriving and leaving at a range of times;

·       There had previously been a coffee shop operating from the premises, and there had been noise nuisance from staff and customers chatting, clattering cups, gathering outside and smoking. 

Members asked whether any conditions could be imposed which would allay Ms Carr’s concerns. She said that she was of the view that conditions could be difficult to enforce, for the staff of the premises and for licensing officers. She added that her preference was to limit the number of people and to restrict customers congregating outside.

The Panel heard from the Applicant, Raimonds Skarubo, and his partner Yuka Potkins. The key points made in their submission were:

·       There would only be a maximum of about 6 or 7 people seated inside the premises. This would normally be when a whisky-tasting or similar event was being held. 

·       The main business of the premises would be to sell alcohol to individuals for off-sales;

·       They would not permit customers to drink outside;

·       They would also tell customers not to smoke outside after 7pm;

·       The operating hours in practice might be shorter than applied for, as they would probably chose to close early on quiet days;

·       There would be CCTV coverage, as agreed with the Police;

·       The recorded music being played would be background music only;

·       They would be less noisy then the café that had formerly been on the site;

·       Other ‘wine shops’ in the area had similar hours.

Questions were asked of the Applicant by the Panel, and the key points discussed were:

·       The maximum capacity for persons seated inside was 8;

·       There would be no outdoor seating;

·       There would be no queueing of customers in the courtyard;

·       The price point of products would be about £5 - £6 for beer and up to £80 for some premium whiskies;

·       Deliveries would take place between 12 noon and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

There was no other business.

Should the Panel wish to go into closed session, it will take the following resolution:

THAT the press and public be excluded from the proceedings of the Licensing Panel on 21^st March 2024 during consideration of the respective item on the agenda on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that were members of the public to be present, there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Specifically -

Publicity in respect of item x would be likely to lead to the disclosure of information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings by virtue of Category 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).