The Licensing Sub-Committee of Hillingdon Council is scheduled to consider an application for a new Premises Licence for Home Bargains. The application seeks permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, with proposed hours from 7:00 to 23:00 daily. Representations have been received from a local resident and the North Uxbridge Residents' Association, raising concerns about potential public nuisance and disturbance due to the proposed hours, particularly on Sundays.

Application for a Premises Licence for Home Bargains

The main item on the agenda for the Licensing Sub-Committee is the consideration of an application for a new Premises Licence for Home Bargains, located at Unit 2, Harefield Road, Uxbridge UB8 1ZZ. The applicant, T.J. Morris Limited, is seeking authorisation to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between the hours of 07:00 and 23:00, seven days a week.

The application has attracted objections from a local resident, Nicholas Johnson, and the North Uxbridge Residents' Association (NURA). Both objectors have raised concerns regarding the proposed late operating hours, particularly on Sundays. Nicholas Johnson stated, Selling alcohol up to 23.00 on Sunday is far too late. It could lead to extra noise and ASB in this residential area of North Uxbridge. ¹ NURA echoed these concerns, requesting that trading hours be limited to match those of the adjacent Aldi store, which are 08:00-22:00 Monday to Saturday and 10:00-16:00 on Sundays. They argue that extended trading hours, especially on a Sunday, could increase the possibility of public nuisance and traffic disturbance for nearby residential properties.

The report pack notes that the premises, being a commercial unit within a larger retail premises, previously traded as a Halfords. The application is made under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003². The proposed Designated Premises Supervisor is Gary Egerton.

Officers have noted that the premises would be classed as a 'large shop' under the Sunday Trading Act 1994³, which restricts Sunday opening hours to six consecutive hours between 10am and 6pm, with closures on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. The report clarifies that the grant of a Premises Licence does not exempt the premises from these Sunday trading restrictions.

Mediation has been attempted, with the applicant's agents proposing to amend the application to seek permission to sell alcohol between 08:00 and 22:00 every day, to align with the current trading hours of the nearby Aldi. However, at the time of the report, no response had been received to this proposal.

The Sub-Committee will consider the application in light of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.