This meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to discuss two applications for new premises licences.

143 Victoria Street

Pizzarlo Ltd applied for a new premises licence for 143 Victoria Street. The application was for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 9am to 11.30pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and 9am to midnight on Friday and Saturday. It also sought permission for late night refreshment indoors and outdoors from 11pm to 11.30pm Monday to Thursday, 11pm to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11pm to midnight on Sundays preceding bank holidays. The applicant stated that:

The premises intends to operate as a bakery on the ground floor level with back of house areas in the basement.

The Environmental Health Service objected to the application on the grounds that it may undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of public nuisance, and public safety. They stated that:

The granting of the application as presented would have the likely effect of causing an increase in Public Nuisance in the area and may impact on Public Safety within the area.

A member of the public also submitted an objection to the application. They stated that they were concerned that granting a licence for the premises would set a precedent for the granting of further licences on the same street, and that the application, as it was written, did not make it clear how the licence would be used. They were particularly concerned about late night noise arising from customers congregating outside the premises and the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

This application was submitted to the council before changes to the planning use classes order came into effect, meaning that a separate planning application for a change of use to allow the sale of alcohol was not required. You can read more about the changes to the Use Classes Order on the Planning Portal.

The premises is located within the Victoria Special Consideration Zone¹. The core hours for the sale of alcohol in a restaurant or café in this zone are 9am to 11.30pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and 9am to midnight Friday and Saturday. The premises is also subject to policy SCZ1, which states that:

applications within a designated Special Consideration Zone should demonstrate that they have taken account of the issues particular to the Zone, in question as identified within the 2020 Cumulative Impact Assessment, and should set out any proposed mitigation measures in relation to those issues within their operating schedule.

Soho Mews House, 8 Lancashire Court

Soho House UK Limited applied for a new premises licence for Soho Mews House, 8 Lancashire Court for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, the provision of late night refreshment indoors and outdoors, and for the showing of films and playing of live and recorded music indoors. The applicant requested permission for the sale of alcohol and the provision of all other licensable activities from 8am to 12.30am Sunday to Wednesday and 8am to 1.30am Thursday to Saturday with the exception that on New Year's Eve the premises would be able to remain open and serving alcohol until 3am on New Year's Day.

The applicant stated that the premises would operate as:

a Private Members club

and submitted an extensive operating schedule with a large number of conditions that they proposed to form part of the licence.

An objection was received from a local residents' association on the grounds that the later hours requested by the applicant, in particular the 1.30am closing time requested for Friday and Saturday, would undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of public nuisance, public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. They were particularly concerned that:

patrons leaving the premises will pass through quiet resident streets to make their way home or to key roads to find taxis or public transport points

They also stated that the premises currently had planning permission for 190 people, but that the applicant was seeking to increase the capacity of the premises to 300 people.

The Environmental Health Service also submitted a representation stating that they were concerned that the application may undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of public nuisance and public safety, but that they would be able to withdraw their representation subject to a site visit to assess the capacity and layout of the premises.