The Licensing Sub Committee C met on Thursday, 22 January 2026, to consider a new premises licence application for Ornithology Bars and Restaurants Ltd. The committee's agenda also included the election of a chair and the review of previous meeting minutes.

Ornithology Bars and Restaurants Ltd, 14 Royal Parade, London, SE3 0TN

The primary item scheduled for discussion was a new premises licence application for Ornithology Bars and Restaurants Ltd, located at 14 Royal Parade, London, SE3 0TN. The application proposed a range of licensable activities, including the supply of alcohol for both on and off-site consumption, provision of films, live and recorded music, performances of dance, and late-night refreshment. The proposed operating hours were extensive, with alcohol sales planned from 9:00 am to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday, and 9:00 am to 1:00 am from Thursday to Saturday.

Following representations from the Police and the Licensing Authority, the applicant agreed to several concessions. These included the removal of provisions for films and dancing from the application, and a reduction in live music hours to cease at 10:00 pm. These agreements led to the withdrawal of objections from these responsible authorities.

Further representations were received from local residents. One resident withdrew their objection after the applicant accepted additional conditions. However, one remaining representation was considered by officers and was not deemed vexatious or frivolous. The applicant had also offered conditions as part of their application, with further conditions agreed upon following consultations.

The committee had several options for their decision, including granting the licence as applied for, granting it with modified conditions, excluding certain licensable activities, refusing to specify a designated premises supervisor, or refusing the application entirely. Any decision made would be subject to a right of appeal to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days. The decision-making process was to be guided by the Licensing Act 2003 and the council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-25, with a focus on promoting the four licensing objectives: protection of children from harm, prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and public safety.

The report pack also detailed the legal and equalities implications of any decision, as well as financial implications related to potential appeals. It outlined the council's commitment to the Equality Act 2010 and the public sector equality duty.

The report pack included the full application details for Ornithology Bars and Restaurants Ltd, outlining the proposed operating hours and activities. It also contained a redacted objection from a resident concerning noise disturbance from deliveries, entertainment, late-night activity, the concentration of licensed premises, and potential issues from kitchen extraction systems. Additionally, a list of agreed terms and conditions was provided, including measures for CCTV, age verification (Challenge 25), preventing unaccompanied children, noise mitigation, and waste management.

Other Scheduled Business

Prior to the main application, the committee was scheduled to formally elect a Chair for the meeting. They were also due to review the minutes from a previous meeting held on 2 October 2025. A section on declarations of interest was also on the agenda, outlining the types of interests members must declare according to the council's Member Code of Conduct.