The Hounslow Council Licensing Panel met on 24 November 2025, and appointed Councillor Ranjit Gill as Chair. The panel then moved to discuss an application for a temporary street trading licence for Meryem Fruit and Veg, and voted to approve the recommendations for the application.

Meryem Fruit and Veg, Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Hounslow

The panel approved the application for a temporary street trading licence for Meryem Fruit and Veg to continue selling fresh fruit and vegetables from a stall on the raised steps outside Holy Trinity Church, TW3 1HG. The applicant, Meryem Fruit and Veg, is authorised to trade Monday to Saturday between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. The licence is subject to conditions to prevent public nuisance and ensure pedestrian safety.

The Licensing Authority received one representation from Charlie Hennessy, a Licensing Enforcement Officer, who objected to the application based on the prevention of public nuisance. According to the report prepared for the meeting, the Licensing Enforcement Officer stated that the licence holder had received two fixed penalty notices for trading in an area larger than authorised. There had also been complaints from local ward councillors regarding the stall set-up.

Despite these issues, Mr Hennessy noted that the operators had shown significant improvement in recent months, and councillors had withdrawn their objections. He stressed the need for the stall to adhere strictly to the authorised parameters of 10 metres in depth and 4 metres in width, and to remain within the designated raised area.

The applicant, Muhammad Abubakav Shatawan, was assisted by his legal representative from Gull Law Associates. Mr Hassan, the manager of the stall, and Reverend Sally Bally of Holy Trinity Church, also attended in support.

Mr Shatawan expressed remorse for previous non-compliance, which he attributed to a period of ill health and language barriers with stall workers. He stated that he now works closely with Mr Hennessy to ensure compliance. Mr Hassan said that he sends photographs of the stall to Mr Hennessy almost daily to demonstrate ongoing compliance with the licence conditions.

Rev Bally apologised for giving permission for the stall to extend into tactile paving areas¹. She emphasised that the stall contributes significantly to the church’s community hub by making monthly donations of fruit and vegetables, which support asylum seekers, refugees, and homelessness relief programmes run by the church.

The panel decided to grant the application, noting the applicant and manager’s remorsefulness and the explanation of the ill health that contributed to the infringement of the licence. They also acknowledged the charity donations made by the stall to the local church and community.

The licence was granted with the following additional conditions:

1. No goods shall be placed on top of the tactile paving, and sufficient space shall be provided on either side of the tactile paving.
2. No goods shall be placed on or near the stairs, allowing pedestrians to use the stairs safely.
3. The licence holder shall be at the pitch or contactable at all times when the pitch is being used for trade.
4. The licence holder must always ensure that any queues or the serving of customers do not impact the surrounding pavements or any pedestrian crossing points in order to prevent obstruction and to maintain public safety.
5. The licence holder must ensure the stall operates safely and orderly and shall not do anything which may cause a danger, nuisance or annoyance, damage or inconvenience to the public and Council.

The panel stressed the need for continued compliance with the licence conditions, warning that failure to do so could subject the licence holder to further review and the risk of revocation of the licence.

Other Matters Discussed

The meeting also included standard items such as:

• Appointment of Chair
• A note from the Monitoring Officer regarding declaring interests under the Members' Code of Conduct.