Agenda and draft minutes

The Larder@Soho, Sohostel, 91-92 Dean Street, London, W1D 3SY (“The Premises”)

17/14805/LIPN

1.

Sale by Retail of Alcohol – On Sales

Monday to Sunday: 10:00 to 19:00

Amendments to application advised at hearing:

The Applicant confirmed that the hours for the sale by retail of alcohol on Sundays would be amended to 12:00 to 19:00.

Decision (including reasons if different from those set out in report):

The Sub-Committee considered an application by One Housing Group for a new premises licence in respect of The Larder@Soho, Sohostel, 91-92 Dean Street, London, W1D 2SY.

The Licensing Officer provided an outline of the application to the Sub-Committee and confirmed that the Metropolitan Police had withdrawn their representation following the agreement of conditions with the Applicant, Mr Ball.

The Applicant, explained that the Premises operated as a small café. Constructive discussions with the Responsible Authorities had taken place and agreement on adding several conditions on to the licence had been agreed. This included limiting the capacity of the Premises to thirty persons, prohibiting any alcohol being taken off the Premises and removing the provision of off sales from the licence. The main purpose of the application was to allow hostel residents to have a drink and consume some food before or after check-in and check-out. The café would have a limited impact on the surrounding area and would stop selling alcohol from 19:00 hours. Two other licences were already operated from the Premises that related to residents only. Four full time staff were employed who would manage the Premises and this included two café managers and two other staff members.

Mr Rowe, representing the Licensing Authority, highlighted that the sale of alcohol would not be ancillary to food and therefore the application came under section PB2 of the City Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy (SLP). Under the policy, there was a presumption to refuse the application. The hours requested were within core hours except on Sundays where it was intended to sell alcohol from 10:00 hours. Mr Ball confirmed that he was willing to change the hours on Sundays for the sale of alcohol to between 12:00 and 19:00 to bring it in line with the core hours policy.

Mr Rowe stated that the Applicant had to satisfy the Sub-Committee that the application could be considered an exception to policy as set out in paragraphs 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 of the SLP. This included ensuring the Premises was conditioned to provide reassurance the consumption of alcohol was appropriately regulated.

Mr Brown from the Westminster Citizens Advice Bureau, representing The Soho Society, addressed the Sub-Committee.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

The Shan State, 100-102 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5EE (“The Premises”)

17/14772/LIPN

1.

Sale by Retail of Alcohol – On Sales

Monday to Saturday: 12:00 to 23:00

Sunday: 12:00 to 22:30

Amendments to application advised at hearing:

None.

Decision (including reasons if different from those set out in report):

The Sub-Committee considered an application by Northern Shan State Ltd for a new premises licence in respect of The Shan State, 100-102 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5EE.

The Licensing Officer provided an outline of the application to the Sub-Committee.

Ms Shan, the Applicant, introduced the application and the hours sought for the sale of alcohol. It was stated that the Premises would primarily operate as a dessert café but also provide a selection of rice and noodle dishes that would all be pre-prepared at another location. The Sub-Committee was advised that the Premises would be well managed and not become a source of any disturbance in the local area. It was recognised that concerns had been raised over the kitchen area and as such, Ms Shan provided an overview of the Premises plans. The location of the kitchen was highlighted along with the various fire escapes. The Sub-Committee was advised that no primary cooking would take place at the Premises and the kitchen would mainly consist of a fridge freezer and a microwave. There was no cooking using gas in this area and therefore the level of risk associated with this space was minimal. The clientele mainly consisted of tourists and students.

Mr Rowe, representing the Licensing Authority, confirmed that the applicant had agreed for the model restaurant condition to be incorporated within the operating schedule. Discussions over several of the proposed conditions had taken place and as such, there were various duplicates which could now be deleted if the Sub-Committee was minded to grant the application. Therefore as the Premises was located in a Cumulative Impact Area (CIA) it was now for the applicant to demonstrate that it would not add to CIA in the local area. Ms Shan confirmed that she had agreed the proposed changes to the conditions as discussed.

Mr Watson, representing Environmental Health (EH), informed the Sub-Committee that there had been confusion over the plans and he had therefore visited the Premises. An area of concern had been raised regarding potential means of escape from the basement area. Mr Lynagh, the Council’s Licensing Surveyor, addressed the Sub-Committee to provide further details on this concern. The basement area was used for karaoke and the Sub-Committee was advised that it was in a quite remote location  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Henrietta Street Hotel, 15 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8QG (“The Premises”)

18/00408/LIPV

1.

Regulated Entertainment

RESIDENTS: Monday to Sunday 00:00 to 00:00

NON RESIDENTS/GUESTS:

Licensable Area

Seasonal Variations

Amendments to application advised at hearing:

None.

Decision (including reasons if different from those set out in report):

The Sub-Committee considered an application by Experimental Worldwide Ltd for a variation of a premises licence in respect of Henrietta Street Hotel, 15 Henrietta Street, London, WC2E 8QG

The Licensing Officer provided an outline of the application to the Sub-Committee and confirmed that Environmental Health (EH) had withdrawn their representation following the agreement of conditions with the Applicant.

Mr Spiegler, representing the Applicant, summarised the current licence in operation across all three floors of the Premises. The lower ground floor had a capacity of fifty persons and permitted vertical drinking without a food provision. The ground floor was subject to the model restaurant condition and it was not proposed to change this element of the licence. Finally, the first floor was also subject to the full restaurant model condition with a capacity of thirty persons. The permitted hours for licensable activities for hotel residents was twenty-four hours. The application before the Sub-Committee however was seeking to increase the hours for non-hotel residents/guests by one hour from midnight to 01:00 hours seven days a week. In exchange it was sought to remove the lower ground floor from the licenced area and its fifty capacity and allow a bar use on the first floor with a capacity of thirty persons. The Sub-Committee was advised that this proposed change would then reduce the number of persons located within the Cumulative Impact Area (CIA).

Mr Spiegler explained that a condition had been agreed with the Covent Garden Community Association restricting the use of the bar area on the rear first floor to a maximum of ten persons after 00:00 with the sale of alcohol to be only by waiter/waitress service to seated customers only. EH had proposed some tidying up of the conditions and the applicant was content to accept these. It was highlighted that no residential representations had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Marquess of Anglesey, 39 Bow Street, London, WC2E 7AU (“The Premises”)

18/00719/LIPV

1.

Late Night Refreshment - Indoors

Seasonal Variations

Amendments to application advised at hearing:

None.

Decision (including reasons if different from those set out in report):

The Sub-Committee considered an application by Young and Co’s Brewery for a variation of a premises licence in respect of the Marquess of Anglesey, 39 Bow Street, London, WC2E 7AU.

The Licensing Officer provided an outline of the application to the Sub-Committee.

Ms Sharkey, representing the applicant, explained that there were three aspects to the application. Firstly, it was proposed to undertake some refurbishment works to the first floor which would change its layout. Some fixed seating would be relocated and new waiter station would be installed to aid customer circulation. No objections had been received to the change in layout. The Sub-Committee was then asked to consider the second and third aspects of the application together. It was sought to remove the restaurant condition from the first floor whilst maintaining some of the existing conditions requiring all customers to be seated and served by waiter/waitress service. The current licence was historic and as such extra conditions had been proposed by the applicant to ensure appropriate restrictions were in place. This included restricting the capacity of the first floor so it would not exceed one hundred persons, the provision of a minimum of sixty five covers provided at all times and prohibiting any vertical drinking. A substantial food offer would be available at all times and conditions requiring CCTV and the introduction of a Challenge 21 policy were to be introduced.

Ms Sharkey provided the Sub-Committee with a brief overview of the history of the Premises and the reasons for the application before it. The Premises had operated as a public house since 1751. The first floor had been licenced as a pub between 1956 and 2012 with no restrictions in place. After 2012 the first floor had been refurbished with the kitchen relocated to the second floor. An objection from Environmental Health (EH) had been received to the 2012 application as part of the proposal was to enlarge the Premises. Following discussions EH agreed to withdraw their representation following the agreement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.