Agenda and minutes

To report any changes to the membership.

1.1.     There were no changes to the Membership of the Sub Committee.

1.2.     For the purposes of this meeting, the Chairman proposed that Councillor Jim Glen be appointed Substitute Chairman. Councillor Glen accepted the appointment.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

1. 

1.1. There were no Declarations of Interest.

LICENSING SUB COMMITTEE (1)

Thursday, 4 February 2021

Members Present:   Councillors Matthew Green (Chairman), Jim Glenn, and Rita Begum.

Officer Support:      Legal Officer:                                  Horatio Chance

                                  Policy Officer:                                  Aaron Hardy

                                  Committee Officer:                                   Cameron MacLean

                                  Presenting Officer:                                  Michelle Steward

Present:                   Mr Vahram Papazyan, Applicant; Mr James Rankin, Counsel, Francis Taylor Building (for the Applicant); Mr Craig Baylis, Solicitor, BCLP LLP (representing the applicant); Mr Aaron Stevens, Solicitor, King & Spalding LLP (representing the applicant); Mr Tihomir [Tim] Lalic, Objector; Mr Philip Kolvin, QC, Cornerstone Barristers (representing Mr Lalic & Alula Three Ltd); Mr Richard Brown, Citizens Advice Westminster (representing objectors); Mr Bernard Benn, Objector; and Marcus Lavell, Counsel, Keystone Law (in attendance).

Representations:    Mr Tihomir [Tim] Lalic; and local businesses and residents.

Applicant:                Ground Support Equipment DMCC

Ward:                       St James’s

CIA[1]:                         Not applicable

Summary of Application

The application was for a new (“shadow”) premises licence.

INTRODUCTION

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced the Members of the Sub Committee and the Council Officers who would be supporting the Sub Committee. The Chairman explained the procedure that would be followed at the meeting. He then invited the Presenting Officer, Ms Michelle Steward, to present the report.

PRESENTATIONS AND SUBMISSIONS

Ms Michelle Steward, Senior Licensing Officer

Ms Steward summarised the application as set out in the report of the Director of Public Protection and Licensing that was before the Sub Committee. She noted that there had been an amendment to the report and that an updated version of the Plan of the premises on Page 24 of the Agenda Pack had been circulated to Members and the parties.[2]

The Licensing Authority had received 21 objections to the application from Members of the Public and local businesses and Mr Richard Brown of Citizens Advice Westminster, Licensing Project, would be representing several of the objectors. Mr Tim Lalic, represented by Philip Kolvin, QC, and Mr Bernard Benn, Resident Landlord, were present and would make submissions opposing the application.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) had also made representations on the application but, after discussions with the applicant, had subsequently withdrawn their representations. Late submissions had been received from the applicant and Mr Lalic and these were included in the Additional Information Pack which had been circulated.

The premises were located within the St James Ward and were not within a cumulative impact area.

The Chairman then invited Mr Rankin to make his presentation behalf of the applicant.

James Rankin, Counsel for the Applicant

Mr Rankin noted that the Members would have read his skeleton argument at Pages 7-14 of the Additional Information Pack, and the statement of his client, Mr Vahram Papazyan, at Pages 21 & 22 of the Additional Information Pack, both of which described the background to the application. In summary, there was a commercial dispute between Mr Papazyan and Mr Tihomir [Tim] Lalic, represented today by Mr Philip Kolvin, QC.

Mr Rankin stated that the history of the premises was, as follows: Mr Papazyan had bought the lease of the premises in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.