The Licensing Sub-Committee were scheduled to meet to consider an application for a new premises licence for Coco Loco, a new Italian delicatessen and cocktail bar in a converted railway arch at 345 Camberwell Station Road ¹.

The application had been made by Lucy Carlota Vargas Cansiong.

Application from Coco Loco

The applicant requested permission for:

• The sale by retail of alcohol (on the premises for consumption at the premises):
  • Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 23:30
  • Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 01:30
  • Sunday from 10:00 to 00:00
• The provision of regulated entertainment in the form of recorded music and anything similar (indoors):
  • Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 23:30
  • Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 01:30
  • Sunday from 10:00 to 00:00
• Opening hours:
  • Monday to Thursday from 07:00 to 00:00
  • Friday and Saturday from 07:00 to 02:00
  • Sunday from 07:00 to 00:30

The proposed designated premises supervisor was Lucy Carlota Vargas Cansiong, who holds a personal licence with the London Borough of Southwark.

Representations from authorities

The Metropolitan Police Service, Trading Standards and Environmental Health all made representations about the application.

The Metropolitan Police objected to the application because the premises are in the Camberwell Cumulative Impact Area and the hours requested in the application were outside of the council's recommended hours. The police also suggested that the control measures in the operating schedule were insufficient and needed amendment.

Environmental Health also objected on the grounds that the proposed hours were outside of the council's recommended hours and would be likely to have a negative impact on the nearby residential properties.

Trading Standards asked for the addition of conditions related to the protection of children from harm, but offered to withdraw their representation if these were agreed.

Representations from the public

One representation was received from a member of the public, a local resident, who claimed the premises was operating as a nightclub. They said that the applicant had already been operating outside of the hours applied for in the application and provided a video as evidence. They described noise nuisance from loud music and customers in the street at night. They objected to the application and said that they would move home if it were approved.

Planning permission at the premises

Planning permission was granted for the change of use of six railway arches to flexible uses within Use Class B2 ², B8 ³, E (a-d) ⁴ and/or (g) ⁵ at Railway Arches 344-349 Camberwell Station Road on 13 June 2024.

This permission was subject to a number of conditions, including:

• The premises must close by 23:00
• Deliveries to the premises cannot take place outside of 06:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays, and 09:00 to 16:00 on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Council policy

The premises is located inside the Camberwell Cumulative Impact Area, meaning that applications for new licences are likely to be refused unless the applicant can demonstrate that they will not add to the problems already existing in the area.

The council's Statement of Licensing Policy states that:

The recommended closing hours for public houses and restaurants ... for that location is ... Monday to Sunday: 23:00.

The policy goes on to say that:

Night clubs (with ‘sui generis’ planning classification) are note considered appropriate for this area.

This Authority recognises the increase in the numbers of premises licensed for the sale or supply of alcohol since the introduction of the 2003 Act and, particularly, the increase in the numbers and density of such premises within the night-time economy. In such a densely populated borough such as Southwark, where there is often little demarcation between residential and commercial areas, the potential for late operating venues and businesses to cause nuisance and disturbance to local residents is considerable. Therefore, there will be no presumption in favour of lengthening licensing hours. The four licensing objectives should be paramount considerations at all times.