The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to convene to consider a variation application for Sri Supermarket. The application requested the removal of existing conditions on the premises licence and replacement with new conditions. Councillors were also expected to confirm the procedure for the meeting and consider any declarations of interest from members.

Sri Supermarket - 522 Romford Road

The main item on the agenda was a request to consider a variation application for the premises licence of Sri Supermarket, located at 522 Romford Road, Forest Gate, E7 8AF. The applicant is Gulam Haider Mohamed Bhai Maknojiya.

The report pack states that the applicant was seeking to:

remove all existing conditions apart from mandatory and replace with new conditions as per the operating schedule.

The application form, included as Appendix A, describes the nature of the proposed variation as:

Vary conditions - remove all existing conditions apart from mandatory and replace with new conditions as per operating schedule

The agent for the applicant is named as Robert Jordan BSc of PR Retail Consultants LTD.

Licensing Enforcement Team Representation

The Council Licensing Enforcement Team submitted a representation against the application, included as Appendix B, on the grounds of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. Shane Passfield, Licensing Enforcement Officer, raised concerns about the potential for increased anti-social behaviour¹ and street drinking in the area.

Specifically, Mr Passfield noted:

• The application seeks off-sales of alcohol daily from 6am to 11pm.
• The applicant proposes not to sell ales, beer, lager, or cider above 6% ABV².
• The applicant proposes to sell spirits in bottles of no less than 20cl.

Mr Passfield stated:

I am concerned that this condition will allow the sale of stronger Beer, Ale, lager Ciders that street drinkers find attractive.

I am also concerned that the application would allow sales of single cans and bottles, which will make this premises attractive to street drinkers. Furthermore, 20cl spirits would be available, making this premises attractive to street drinkers.

Mr Passfield also noted that the premises are in an area where the licensing team has worked extensively due to street drinking and ASB issues. He believes that the reduced ASB issues in the area are due to robust licensing conditions on premises in the area.

Mr Passfield also stated that a compliance visit on 21 May 2025 found breaches of the current licence conditions, and high-strength beers were seized from the premises. A warning letter and seizure notice, along with images of the seized goods, were included in the report pack.

Current Licence Conditions

The current premises licence, included as Appendix C, was first issued on 3 April 2020. It permits the supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises between 8am and 11pm every day.

The conditions listed in Annex 2 of the current licence include:

• All staff shall be trained in the use of refusal books.
• A CCTV system shall be installed and maintained.
• All alcohol shall be behind secure metal screens, covered behind the counter, or within a covered locked cabinet outside licensable hours.
• Staff training to occur at four-monthly intervals.
• A personal licence holder shall be present during all times alcohol is sold.
• No single cans or bottles of beer, lager, or cider shall be sold.
• No spirits to be sold in containers less than 35cl.
• Challenge 25 signage³, proxy sale signage, leave quietly signage, and street drinker signage will be displayed.
• An incident book to be kept.
• All alcohol to be purchased from a registered wholesaler.
• No deliveries of alcohol between 8pm and 9am the following day.
• No beer, lager, or cider above 5.5% ABV will be sold at the premises.
• Staff will undertake daily litter patrols.

Other Matters

The agenda also included items relating to declarations of interest, and confirmation of procedure. Councillor Tonii Wilson, Chair of the Licensing Sub-Committee, was expected to confirm the procedure for the meeting. Councillors were also expected to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or non-pecuniary interests they may have had in any matter being considered at the meeting, with reference to the Members' Code of Conduct.