The Westminster City Council Licensing Sub-Committee (4) convened to assess two applications for new premises licences in the West End. The committee reviewed applications for L'eto at 155 Wardour Street and Ria's at 29 - 31 Foubert's Place, both located within the West End Cumulative Impact Area¹.

L'eto, 155 Wardour Street, W1F 8WG

The committee considered an application for a new premises licence for L'eto, located at 155 Wardour Street, W1F 8WG. The applicant, Letobakery Ltd, sought permission to operate a restaurant with an external seating area, selling alcohol for consumption on and off the premises.

The proposed hours for alcohol sales were:

• Monday to Saturday: 09:00 to 22:30
• Sunday: 12:00 to 22:30

The premises aimed to open to the public:

• Monday to Sunday: 09:00 to 23:00

The Public reports pack 12th-Jun-2025 10.00 Licensing Sub-Committee 4.pdf notes that the premises previously held a licence from June 2007 until it was surrendered in August 2021.

Representations Received

Licensing Authority

The Licensing Authority initially raised concerns about the application's potential impact on the four licensing objectives, particularly regarding public nuisance, prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety. The authority highlighted that the premises is located within the West End Cumulative Impact Zone, necessitating consideration of policies CIP1, HRS1, and RNT1. The Licensing Authority requested further submissions from the applicant to demonstrate how the operation of the premises would not add to the cumulative impact within the zone.

Environmental Health

Environmental Health also raised concerns regarding potential increases in public nuisance and impacts on public safety due to the proposed alcohol sales and hours. They noted that an extensive list of conditions had been offered by the applicant but did not fully address their concerns. Additional conditions were proposed following a site visit, relating to sanitary accommodation and sound insulation.

Soho Society

The Soho Society objected to the application, arguing that granting another alcohol licence in the West End Cumulative Impact Zone would increase cumulative impact and fail to promote the licensing objectives. They cited data from the council's Cumulative Impact Assessment 2023 and police statistics to support their claims, highlighting high crime rates and public nuisance levels in the area. The Soho Society also pointed to the Soho Noise Study, which indicated high noise levels on Wardour Street, exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. They proposed a condition restricting off-premises alcohol sales to those ancillary to a substantial table meal.

Applicant's Response

The applicant provided additional information to address the concerns raised. They committed to upholding Westminster's standards on preventing public nuisance, implementing a dispersal policy, scheduling waste management and deliveries to minimise disruption, and using electric vehicles for deliveries. They also outlined measures to prevent crime and disorder, including CCTV coverage, staff training in responsible alcohol retailing, and a zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour.

In response to concerns about public urination, the applicant stated that the issue had been resolved since the granting of a pavement licence in 2024 and that they had implemented daily street sweeping and washing.

The applicant agreed to the condition proposed by the Soho Society, restricting off-premises alcohol sales. They also agreed to amend conditions relating to waste and deliveries to reflect an end time of 08:00.

Licensing Authority Withdraws Representation

Following further discussions and the agreement of conditions, the Licensing Authority withdrew their representation on 23 May 2025.

Ria's, 29 - 31 Foubert's Place, W1F 7QG

The committee also considered an application for a new premises licence for Ria's, located at 29 - 31 Foubert's Place, W1F 7QG. The applicant, Ria's Soho Ltd, sought permission to operate a restaurant, selling alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, and providing late-night refreshment.

The proposed hours for licensable activities were:

• Late Night Refreshment (indoors):
  • Monday to Thursday: 23:00 to 23:30
  • Friday to Saturday: 23:00 to 00:00
  • Sundays immediately prior to Bank Holidays: 23:00 to 00:00
• Sale of Alcohol (on and off the premises):
  • Monday to Thursday: 09:00 to 23:30
  • Friday to Saturday: 09:00 to 00:00
  • Sunday: 09:00 to 22:30
  • Sundays immediately prior to Bank Holidays: 09:00 to 00:00

Representations Received

Licensing Authority

The Licensing Authority initially raised concerns regarding the application's potential impact on the four licensing objectives, particularly public nuisance and the prevention of crime and disorder. They noted the premises' location within the West End Cumulative Impact Area and the need to comply with policies CIP1, HRS1, and RNT1. The authority requested further submissions from the applicant to demonstrate how the operation of the premises would not add to the cumulative impact.

Environmental Health

Environmental Health also raised concerns about potential increases in public nuisance and impacts on public safety due to the proposed alcohol sales and late-night refreshment. They proposed additional conditions to support the licensing objectives, including measures to manage patrons leaving the premises, control waste disposal, and minimise noise.

Soho Society

The Soho Society objected to the application, arguing that granting another alcohol licence in the West End Cumulative Impact Zone would increase cumulative impact and fail to promote the licensing objectives. They cited similar data and arguments as in their objection to the L'eto application, emphasising the high crime rates, public nuisance levels, and noise pollution in the area.

Conditions Proposed by Environmental Health

Environmental Health proposed several conditions to mitigate potential negative impacts, including:

1. Prohibiting patrons from taking drinks or glass containers when temporarily leaving the premises.
2. Removing all outside tables and chairs by 23:00 each day.
3. Ensuring proper waste presentation and collection.
4. Displaying notices at exits requesting patrons to respect local residents and businesses.
5. Providing a publicly available telephone number for the manager.
6. Supervising patrons drinking or smoking outside the premises to prevent public nuisance.
7. Providing delivery drivers with instructions to use their vehicles responsibly.
8. Prohibiting loudspeakers at the entrance, exit, or outside the building.