The Licensing Sub-Committee (3) of Westminster City Council met to consider three applications for premises licences. The committee granted a new premises licence to Carbone, 41-43 Old Compton Street, and granted a variation to the licence for 22 Baker Street, but refused to grant Sun 13 Cantons permission to sell alcohol at their new location.

Carbone, 41-43 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 5TQ

Carbone is a restaurant that will be opening soon in Soho, London. The owners applied for a new premises licence to allow them to sell alcohol until midnight from Sunday to Wednesday and until 00:30 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They also asked for permission to remain open for an hour after those times. Some residents living near the restaurant objected to the application. The residents were represented at the meeting by a solicitor. They argued that the area is already oversaturated with restaurants and bars, and that granting the licence would add to the existing problems with noise and antisocial behaviour.

I make the point that, as you will have seen from the representations from local residents, that there are concerns of cumulative impact – noise nuisance – in the area.

Councillor Louise Hyams, speaking for the committee, said that they had taken the residents' concerns seriously, but that they were satisfied that Carbone's plans for the restaurant, and the conditions attached to the licence would be sufficient to prevent public nuisance.

The committee granted the licence.

Sun 13 Cantons, 21 Great Pulteney Street, London, W1F 9NG

Sun 13 Cantons applied to vary the premises licence for its new pub on Great Pulteney Street to allow it to sell alcohol until 01:00 seven days a week. The applicant's solicitor argued that they had a strong business plan, and that they were experienced operators who would ensure that the pub was run in accordance with all of the conditions of the licence. They also argued that the pub would be a valuable addition to the area, providing a place for people to meet and socialise.

The Metropolitan Police and Environmental Health both made representations against the application. The Police argued that the pub was in a Cumulative Impact Area¹, and that granting the licence would add to the existing problems with crime and disorder in the area.

The Metropolitan Police Licensing Team objects to this application as the premises is located within the Soho Cumulative Impact Area where there is a presumption of refusal to new licenses.

The committee's legal advisor summed up the application:

The applicant is seeking to vary a premises licence to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 11pm to 1am, Monday to Sunday, with an additional hour to disperse. The representations from the police and Environmental Health were made in a timely manner. Therefore, they are to be considered as part of this process.

The committee was concerned that the pub is in close proximity to a number of residential properties. They were not satisfied that the applicant had demonstrated that the pub would not have a negative impact on the area, and they therefore refused to grant the licence.

22 Baker Street, London, W1U 3BW

The owners of 22 Baker Street applied to vary their licence to change the layout of the restaurant and bar. No objections were received to the application, which was considered in private. The committee granted the application.