The Licensing Sub-Committee (6) of Westminster Council scheduled a meeting to discuss three licensing applications. These included a new premises licence for a restaurant, a new premises licence for a multi-function space, and the renewal of a sexual entertainment venue licence. Councillors Angela Piddock, Md Shamsed Chowdhury (Deputy Cabinet Member - Streets and Lead Member - Edgware Road Champion) and Melvyn Caplan were scheduled to be in attendance.

Honest Greens, 21-25 St Anne's Court

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Basement And Ground Floor, 21-25 St Anne's Court from Hguk Restaurants Ltd, who intend to operate a restaurant at the site under the name Honest Greens.

The application requested permission to:

• Provide late night refreshment indoors between 23:00 and 23:30 Monday to Thursday, and between 23:00 and 00:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Sell alcohol between 09:00 and 22:30 Monday to Thursday, between 09:00 and 23:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, and between 09:00 and 22:30 on Sundays.
• Open to the public between 08:00 and 23:30 Monday to Thursday, between 08:00 and 00:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and between 08:00 and 22:30 on Sundays.

The report pack notes that the premises is located within the West End Cumulative Impact Zone¹, and that the applicant had offered to adhere to Westminster's Model Condition MC66, which stipulates that the premises operate as a restaurant, with table service only, serving substantial table meals, with no takeaway service, and alcohol only served to seated diners as an accompaniment to their meal.

The Licensing Authority raised concerns that the application did not demonstrate that the premises would have no adverse impact within the West End Cumulative Impact Zone, as required by Policy CIP1².

Environmental Health also objected to the application, stating that the provision of late night refreshment and the sale of alcohol at the hours requested were likely to cause an increase in public nuisance and impact upon public safety in the West End Special Cumulative Zone.

Several other persons also objected to the application, including the Soho Society and residents of Clarion House, a social housing block opposite the premises. The Soho Society stated that the new restaurant would have a negative impact on the area, and that it was hard to find any positives when considering the large numbers of people arriving from 8am and dispersing late at night, people queuing in the alleyway for takeaway service, delivery drivers waiting to pick up orders, noise from people seated on the ledges outside, noise from collections and deliveries, plus regulated entertainment which permits amplified music to be played until 11pm.

The Clarion House Residents' Association raised concerns about noise, anti-social behaviour, and waste management. They requested reduced opening hours, a personal licence for the owners, a noise limiter, and no takeaway service window.

An expert acoustic review included in the report pack stated that there were three different noise sources (people, amplified music and deliveries) that each could cause significant to substantial harm to residential amenity and quality of life of residents, on top of the other noise experienced already in the area. It went on to say that there was a high chance when combined the noise from all of the sources that material interference of the use of their properties may result, subjecting them to the risk of statutory nuisance which has not been properly considered and should be avoided according to policy, and that the cumulative impact should be properly assessed.

The applicant, in a letter included in the report pack, stated that they were committed to opening a thoughtfully considered and appropriate restaurant alongside local residents, and that they had carefully considered the feedback contained in the representations and others sent from neighbours. They also stated that their landlord, The Resident Soho hotel, had imposed strict requirements on their business operation to ensure the restaurant does not disturb their hotel guests, including a number of controls on noise, ranging from any noise escape from the restaurant itself and associated extraction equipment.

The applicant also offered to reduce the alcohol times to 22:30 from Sunday to Thursday, and to 23:30 on Fridays and Saturdays, to confirm that the application does not propose regulated entertainment, to agree a condition that all windows shall be kept closed after 21:00 hours, to confirm that they will be installing automatic timers on the extraction equipment, to confirm that there will be no takeaway window, and that the premises licence application does not propose any external seating in the licence demise.

The House Mayfair, 24-26 Maddox Street

The committee was also scheduled to determine an application for a new premises licence for Part Basement, Part Ground Floor and First Floor to Fifth Floor, 24-26 Maddox Street from The House Mayfair Limited.

The applicant described the premises as a restaurant to the public (first floor), multi-function space and private members facility over the basement, ground and first to fifth floors, including terraces at fourth and fifth floor level, where members will have access to space to work, host meetings, have treatments and relax and socialise.

The application requested permission to:

• Show films, and play live and recorded music indoors between 10:00 and 00:00 Monday to Saturday, and between 10:00 and 22:30 on Sundays.
• Provide late night refreshment indoors between 23:00 and 00:00 Monday to Saturday.
• Sell alcohol both on and off the premises between 10:00 and 00:00 Monday to Saturday, and between 10:00 and 22:30 on Sundays.
• Open to the public between 08:00 and 00:15 Monday to Saturday, and between 09:00 and 23:00 on Sundays.

The report pack notes that the premises is located within the West End Cumulative Impact Area, and that the application falls outside of Westminster's core hours policy under HSR1³.

The Licensing Authority stated that the applicant must demonstrate how they intend to manage any potential risks, including where specific policies apply to the area, and how the policy impacts on their application, and what measures will be in place to mitigate the impact, and must consider all factors which may be relevant to promote the licensing objectives.

Environmental Health stated that representations were made as the proposal may adversely impact on the licensing objectives of Prevention of Public Nuisance and for Public Safety, and requested that the applicant contact them to discuss these, after which additional conditions may be requested.

One other person objected to the application, regarding the use of the roof terrace and the change in conditions to those under the prior operator (Allbright Club), and in particular the attempt to move the usage limit from 22:00 to 23:00. Another objector also raised concerns about the outdoor terraces, stating that they can be noisy with drinking, and that the previous club had them open till 22:00 which wasn't too bad, but that midnight was too late for outside areas.

Platinum Lace Gentleman's Club, Unit 33, Trocadero, 13 Coventry Street

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application from Platinum Lace (Management) Limited to renew the sexual entertainment venue premises licence for Platinum Lace Gentleman's Club, Unit 33, Trocadero, 13 Coventry Street.

The application requested permission to provide relevant entertainment on Monday to Saturday from 15:00 to 06:00, and on Sunday from 15:00 to 03:00.

The report pack notes that the premises has operated as a sex establishment since 2012, and that the applicant has not requested to change the relevant entertainment or to remove any standard conditions to the licence if this application is granted.

The Licensing Service received two objections from Interested Parties.

The first objector stated that pimps congregate outside these clubs, making the world-renowned Leciester Square dangerous for women & children, that gentleman's clubs perpetuate the damaging myth of women's unconditional sexual availability and foster male privilege and dominance, and that Westminster Council by renewing the gentleman's club license would send the message that it's acceptable for men to behave like this, as men can ogle, sexualise & coerce strange women to get their tits out if they pay women in the gentleman's club .

The second objector stated that if a woman needs to be financially coerced/paid/bribed into providing a man with sexual entertainment, then the reason for the payment is de facto that she would not consent without it, and that the psychology of such a man, who wishes to use a woman as a tool for receiving sexual satisfaction without caring about her wellbeing at all, is the psychology of a man who may escalate to rape.

The Licensing Sub Committee was scheduled to determine whether the layout, character and condition of premises are appropriate for the grant of a SEV licence in accordance with Policy LO3⁴.