The Licensing Sub-Committee is scheduled to convene remotely to consider a review of the premises licence for Co-Op, located at 54 Uxbridge Road, London, W12 8LP. The review application, initiated by Hammersmith and Fulham Licensing Authority, is based on concerns regarding the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. The sub-committee will consider evidence and representations before determining whether to take any action, modify the licence conditions, suspend the licence, or revoke it.

Review of Co-Op Premises Licence

The primary focus of the meeting is scheduled to be a review of the premises licence held by Niza Enterprises Ltd for the Co-Op store on Uxbridge Road. The review was prompted by an application submitted by Hammersmith and Fulham Licensing Authority on 25 September 2025, citing concerns over the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance.

The current licence, originally granted on 6 September 2005 and held by Niza Enterprises Ltd since 7 March 2006, permits the following:

• Late Night Refreshment (Indoors Only): Monday to Sunday, 23:00 to 05:00
• Sale of Alcohol (Off the Premises): Monday to Sunday, 09:00 to 02:00
• Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 00:00 to 00:00

The report pack notes that the area around the Co-Op is a mixed area owing to the presence of commercial and residential dwellings around the site .

Grounds for Review

The application for review states that the grounds for the review are:

Prevention of Crime and disorder -

Carrying on a licensable activity on the premises otherwise than under and in accordance with an authorisation and knowingly allowing a licensable activity to be so carried on. (S136 Licensing Act) - breach of numerous premises licence conditions on numerous occasions.

Specifically, the application cites breaches of licence conditions related to:

• Having a personal licence holder on the premises
• Selling alcohol between 23:00 and 02:00 via cash payments instead of credit or debit card
• Displaying and selling spirit mixtures above 5.5% ABV¹ from self-selection displays
• Selling strong beer and cider above 5.5% ABV
• Selling miniature bottles of spirits of 20cl or below
• Selling single cans or bottles of beer or cider

The application includes a timeline of visits to the premises, including test purchases made by licensing officers. One such visit on 17 June 2025, revealed several breaches, including the sale of Frosty Jack's cider (7.5% ABV) and Paloma Bliss spirit mix (6.0% ABV), the absence of a personal licence holder, and the sale of alcohol via cash payment after 23:00.

A second test purchase on 19 June 2025, found miniature bottles of Glens vodka for sale, and Special Brew (7.5% ABV) back on display after it had been removed following the previous visit.

The report pack includes a summary of an interview with Visvanathan Ragunathan, the sole director of Niza Enterprises Limited, conducted on 10 July 2025. Mr Ragunathan stated that he was aware of the licence conditions and that the issues were due to mistakes and confusion, particularly regarding the sale of single cans and bottles.

Representations

During the consultation period, representations were received from the Metropolitan Police and five individual representors supporting the review. PC Charlotte Bennett of the Metropolitan Police, expressed support for the review, stating that previous advice and recommendations had not been followed and that the premises was contributing to crime and disorder and public nuisance.

Several residents also submitted comments in support of the review, citing concerns about anti-social behaviour, street drinking, littering, and intimidation in the area. One resident wrote:

This premises is located in well-known hotspot for anti-social behaviour (ASB), as identified by both the Police and local residents. It consistently attracts groups engaging in street drinking, loitering, and other nuisance activity throughout the day and evening. The pattern of behaviour associated with this store has had a serious negative impact on the surrounding area, contributing to intimidation of passers-by, noise, littering, and frequent disorder outside the shop and nearby public spaces.

Council Policy Considerations

The sub-committee is required to consider the council's Statement of Licensing Policy (SLP) and the Guidance issued by the Secretary of State under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003. The SLP outlines the council's approach to licensing and its commitment to promoting the four licensing objectives².

Policy 10 of the SLP addresses reviews of premises licences, stating that a review may be initiated if it is alleged that the licensing objectives are not being promoted. Policy 11 emphasises the importance of licence applicants giving due consideration to the needs of residents and any negative impacts from licensable activities. Annex 4 of the SLP lists grounds for considering a review, including incidents of disorder and instances of public nuisance where warnings have been disregarded.

Options Available to the Sub-Committee

In determining the review application, the sub-committee has several options:

• Take no further action
• Modify the conditions of the licence
• Exclude a licensable activity from the scope of the licence
• Remove the Designated Premises Supervisor
• Suspend the licence for a period not exceeding three months
• Revoke the licence

The sub-committee must act with a view to promoting the licensing objectives, while also considering the council's SLP and the Section 182 Guidance.

Attendees

The meeting is scheduled to be attended by Councillor Mercy Umeh, Chair of Licensing Committee, Councillor Bora Kwon, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, and Councillor Dominic Stanton, Opposition Whip. Charles Francis, Committee Co-ordinator, will also be present.