The Licensing Sub-Committee (2) was scheduled to consider an application for an expedited review of the premises licence for The Box, located at 11 - 12 Walker's Court, London, W1F 0BZ. The committee was also scheduled to note any changes to its membership and receive declarations of interest.

The Box Premises Licence Review

The primary focus of the meeting was the expedited review of the premises licence for The Box, a venue at 11 - 12 Walker's Court, London, W1F 0BZ. This review was initiated by the Metropolitan Police Service on 30 January 2026, citing concerns related to serious crime or disorder.

The agenda indicated that the Metropolitan Police Service had applied for the review under Section 53A(1) of the Licensing Act 2003¹. This section allows for an expedited review if a senior police officer believes the premises are associated with serious crime or serious disorder. The report detailed an alleged incident on Monday 26 January 2026, where a customer was reportedly seriously sexually assaulted by a performer at the venue.

A key point of concern was the venue's alleged failure to immediately report the incident to the police, despite a condition on the premises licence requiring them to do so. The agenda stated: In the event that a serious assault is committed on the premises (or appears to have been committed) the management will immediately ensure that: (a) The police (and, where appropriate, the London Ambulance Service) are called without delay . The report noted that the venue instead contacted their licensing consultant, who then advised them to report the incident.

The agenda also highlighted that the venue holds a Sexual Entertainment Venue (SEV) Licence, and footage reviewed suggested breaches of several conditions related to its operation, as well as breaches concerning record-keeping and the code of conduct. The police believed that due to the seriousness of the alleged offence, the delayed action by the venue, and the risk to further customers, the premises had significantly failed to uphold the crime and disorder and public safety licensing objectives. Consequently, the police considered it necessary to suspend the licence until a full review could be conducted.

The committee was scheduled to consider potential interim steps pending the determination of a full review. These steps, as outlined in Section 53A(2)(a) of the Licensing Act 2003, could include modification of licence conditions, exclusion of alcohol sales, removal of the designated premises supervisor, or suspension of the licence.

The agenda noted that due to the statutory requirement for an interim hearing within 48 hours of receiving the application, it had not been possible for the premises licence holder, Too 2 Much Limited, to submit their representations in time for the publication of the report. Any submissions from the licence holder were to be provided to the committee members in advance of the hearing.

The meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 3 February 2026, with the committee members being Councillors Maggie Carman and Karen Scarborough, and a third member listed as TBC.