The Licensing Sub-Committee of Bexley Council was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Chicken World & JRR Local Store. The meeting's agenda also included procedural items such as the appointment of a chairman and declarations of interest.

Application for Premises Licence at Chicken World & JRR Local Store

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a Premises Licence for Chicken World & JRR Local Store, located at 51 Nuxley Road, Belvedere, Kent DA17 5JN. The applicant, RJK Chicken Limited, sought to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises and provide late-night refreshment.

Initially, the application proposed the sale of alcohol daily between 07:00 and 01:00 the following day, with late-night refreshment also available between 23:00 and 01:00. The premises' opening hours were also requested to be from 07:00 to 01:00 daily.

However, representations were made by the Police, the Licensing Authority, and the Environmental Health Service. Following these representations, the applicant amended the application. The revised proposal sought to sell alcohol from Sunday to Thursday between 07:00 and 00:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 07:00 to 00:30. Late-night refreshment and opening hours were similarly adjusted.

The applicant described the premises as an existing chicken takeaway that had been refurbished and would also operate as a convenience store selling essential groceries, confectionery, and soft drinks, with alcohol being a part of the convenience store offering. Alcohol was also intended to be available for delivery through third-party companies.

The Responsible Authorities initially requested the removal of alcohol sales entirely. A subsequent compromise suggested by the Responsible Authorities was that alcohol sales would be restricted to deliveries only, with conditions including no visible alcohol display, no public collection of alcohol, and deliveries only to residential or business addresses. As of the preparation of the report pack, the applicant had not responded to this compromise.

The report pack detailed the relevant sections of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Secretary of State's Guidance, as well as Bexley Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which guides the promotion of the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm.

The report also outlined the potential human rights implications, referencing Article 6 (right to a fair hearing) and Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) of the European Convention on Human Rights, noting the need to balance the applicant's right to engage in business with the rights of residents to enjoy their homes.

The report pack included appendices containing the amended application form, proposed conditions, a map of the premises, representations from the Police, Licensing Authority, and Environmental Health Service, and details on human rights considerations.

Declarations of Interests and Dispensations

The meeting was scheduled to include a section on declarations of interests and dispensations, providing guidance to members on identifying and declaring any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests that might be relevant to the agenda items. This guidance outlined the definitions of these interests and the actions members should take if they have such an interest, including leaving the room during discussions and voting on relevant matters.

Items of Late Business

The agenda also allowed for the consideration of items of late business, which would only be addressed if the Chairman deemed them to be urgent due to special circumstances.