The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council was scheduled to consider two applications for premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003. These applications were for Tesco Express at 562 Rotherhithe Street and Afrikiko at 871 Old Kent Road.

Licensing Act 2003: Tesco Express, 562 Rotherhithe Street, London SE16 5EX

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for a premises licence for Tesco Express, located at 562 Rotherhithe Street, London SE16 5EX. The application, submitted by Tesco Stores Limited, sought permission for the sale of alcohol for off-site consumption between 06:00 and 00:00 daily, and for late-night refreshment indoors between 23:00 and 00:00 daily. The premises would be open to the public from 06:00 to 00:00 daily.

The report pack indicated that the application was subject to outstanding representations from four other persons, citing concerns about potential public nuisance and safety issues arising from the requested late hours. The Metropolitan Police Service had initially made a representation but withdrew it after agreeing on additional conditions with the applicant. These agreed conditions included the installation and maintenance of a CCTV system, retention of footage for 31 days, staff training on the Licensing Act 2003 and licensing objectives, restrictions on the sale of high-strength beers and ciders, and the display of notices regarding noise and behaviour.

The report also detailed that the premises is located outside of a cumulative impact area¹. The Southwark Council's statement of licensing policy² recommends closing hours of 23:00 for off-licences in this location. The report highlighted that the premises is a new build, with the previous licence for The Clipper on this site having been surrendered in April 2015.

Licensing Act 2003: Afrikiko, 871 Old Kent Road, London SE15 1NX

The sub-committee was also scheduled to consider a premises licence application for Afrikiko, located at 871 Old Kent Road, London SE15 1NX. The application, made by Afrikiko Restaurant & Night Club Limited, proposed operating hours extending to 03:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays for the sale of alcohol (on-sales only), late-night refreshment, and regulated entertainment, including live music, recorded music, and dance performances. The premises would be open to the public until 03:00 on these days.

This application had attracted representations from four responsible authorities: the Metropolitan Police Service, the environmental protection team, the health and safety team, and the licensing authority itself. The police raised concerns about the premises' history, including previous summary reviews and continued operation despite being unlicensed, and questioned the adequacy of the proposed controls for a nightclub in a residential area. The environmental protection team's representation highlighted that the proposed hours exceeded those recommended in the Southwark statement of licensing policy and that suitable conditions to prevent public nuisance had not been included. The health and safety representation noted issues including a Prohibition Notice served by the London Fire Brigade and Improvement Notices, with concerns about ventilation, smoke, fire safety equipment, and the late-night hours. The licensing authority's representation pointed to the proposed hours being significantly outside policy recommendations and questioned the applicant's trustworthiness given the premises' history.

The report detailed a significant history of licensing issues at the premises, including previous licence suspensions and revocations under different management and applications. Notably, the premises licence was revoked on 1 October 2020 due to licence breaches and operating in contravention of COVID-19 regulations. Several subsequent applications for premises licences at the address had also been refused. The report also listed temporary event notices (TENs) applied for by Daniel Dorner, the proposed Designated Premises Supervisor, all of which commenced at midnight. The premises is located outside of a cumulative impact area, but within a residential area, where the recommended closing hours for restaurants and public houses are 23:00 daily. The report also noted that nightclubs with a 'sui generis' planning classification are not considered appropriate for this area.