The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to convene to consider a licensing matter in the Longbridge ward¹. The central item for consideration was the application for a new premises licence for Royal Express, located at 12 Faircross Parade, Longbridge Road, Barking IG11 8UN. This matter was brought before the sub-committee due to representations received from responsible authorities.

Royal Express - 12 Faircross Parade, Longbridge Road

Kajan Sivasuthan applied for a new premises licence for Royal Express, seeking permission for:

• Late Night Refreshment: Monday to Sunday, 23:00 to 05:00
• Sale of Alcohol: Monday to Sunday, 24 hours

According to the Royal Express New Premises Licence Report, the council, as the local licensing authority, is responsible for licensing premises to provide licensable activities under a premises licence. These activities are established by the Licensing Act 2003 and include: the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment, and the provision of late-night refreshment.

The application for a new premises licence was made on 2 October 2025. The report stated that the premises already holds an existing premises licence authorising the sale of alcohol from 09:00 to 23:00, Monday to Sunday, and late-night refreshments from 23:00 to 05:00, Monday to Sunday, with the premises being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Kajan Sivasuthan is named as both the licence holder and the designated premises supervisor.

The Licensing Sub-Committee was informed that two representations against the premises licence had been received from Responsible Authorities. One representation was made by a Responsible Authority Officer on behalf of the Metropolitan Police, detailed in the Appendix B - Police Representation, and the other from the Responsible Authority Officer on behalf of the Councils Licensing Department, detailed in the Appendix C - LARA Representation. The report stated that to date, no conciliation had been reached between the applicant and responsible authorities.

Grounds for Representation

The representation from the Metropolitan Police, made by PC Owen Dunn, was submitted under the licensing objectives of public safety, prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm. PC Owen Dunn stated in Appendix B - Police Representation that:

This will be their third occasion of trying to obtain a 24-hour licence for the sale of alcohol. The same debate will be repeated.

The last hearing was 17th December 2024 (not even 12 months ago), whereby the sub-committee correctly refused a variation application for sale of alcohol for 24 hours a day.

PC Owen Dunn also raised concerns about the proximity of the venue to a large park, a school, a public house, residential properties, commercial properties, a main thoroughfare between Dagenham and Barking, and a main bus route. He stated that there was no requirement or justification for the off-licence to have a 24-hour licence for the sale of alcohol, and that the area is highly populated with residents likely to be negatively affected should the business be allowed to conduct its activities 24 hours a day.

The Responsible Authority Officer from the Licensing Authority, Samena Baloch, also raised concerns, stating in Appendix C - LARA Representation that:

This premises is in a sensitive area, opposite a school, adjacent to a public park, and has residential properties in close proximity, both to the rear and directly above.

Permitting the sale of alcohol 24/7 would likely lead to:

• an increase in local drunkenness
• an increase in crime and disorder
• and increase in violence, vandalism and antisocial behaviour
• an increase in noise and nighttime activity outside the premises and in the nearby park throughout the night
• an increase in the risks to children and other vulnerable persons.

Samena Baloch also stated that the premises management had demonstrated recent non-compliance with existing safeguarding conditions. On 8 October 2025, licensing officers observed a breach of the licence condition that states: A maximum of two children are permitted inside the premises at any one time from 09:00 hours, from when the sale of alcohol is permitted.

Options for the Sub-Committee

The report outlined the options available to the Licensing Sub-Committee, stating that, having had regard to all relevant matters and taken all relevant information into account, the sub-committee may decide to:

• Refuse the application.
• Approve the application, together with any conditions, restrictions, or reductions in the proposed application which members consider necessary for the promotion of the four licensing objectives.
• Grant the application in full as applied for.

The report also noted the council's duty as a Licensing Authority under the Licensing Act 2003 to carry out its functions with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.