The Licensing Sub-Committee met to determine an application for the grant of a new premises licence for St James's Food Store, 44 St James's Street in Walthamstow. The Sub-Committee decided to reject the application due to the applicant's close family ties to the previous licence holder, whose licence had been revoked due to serious breaches of the licensing objectives, and their view that, given the short time that had elapsed, the business was essentially being managed in the same manner.

Grant of a premises licence: St James's Food Store, 44 St James's Street, Walthamstow, London E17 7PE

The Sub-Committee considered an application for the grant of a premises licence for St James's Food Store. The applicant, Ms Nargis Sadak, sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises from 08:00 to 23:00, seven days a week. The application was supported by a 21-page operating schedule.

Waltham Forest Council Licensing and Trading Standards officers objected to the granting of the licence on the grounds that they believed it would undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the protection of children from harm.

The Licensing Officer explained to the Sub-Committee that the previous licence had been revoked in July 2024 following multiple breaches of the licensing objectives, including the sale of illicit tobacco, sales of alcohol to a minor, and sales of disposable vapes to a minor. He told the Sub-Committee that this was a family-run business and that the previous licence holder was the brother of the applicant. The Licensing Officer explained that:

Given how recently the previous premises licence was revoked due to multiple Trading Standards offences, and the fact that the Applicant is closely connected to the previous premises licence holder, he believed the licensing objectives would be undermined if granted.

The Trading Standards Officer also gave evidence to the Sub-Committee and reminded them that the previous licence had been revoked following a review brought by Trading Standards. She reminded the Sub-Committee that, in 2017, an earlier review of the licence had resulted in a condition being added to the licence excluding the then licence holder, Mr Bilgin Redzheb, from the premises. This had been imposed because the Sub-Committee had been concerned that he:

would not have due regard to the law.

The applicant's agent told the Sub-Committee that Ms Sadak had been managing the shop since October 2024 and that she had completed personal licence training and sales training. He told the Sub-Committee that she had been operating with the authorisation of the previous licence holder and that there had been no issues at the premises since she had taken over.

The Sub-Committee decided to refuse the application. They explained in their decision notice that they were concerned that the applicant had only been managing the premises for three months and that she was a close family member of the previous licence holder. They did not accept that Ms Sadak was genuinely in control of the business, noting that:

The Applicant failed to present any concrete measures to ensure that the same issues would not occur again, given that this is a family run business.

The Sub-Committee also stated their view that Ms Sadak:

had failed to demonstrate a clear and comprehensive strategy for addressing the problems associated with the premises.