The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 11 February 2026 to review the premises licence for Roman Express, located at 347 Barking Road, East Ham, E6 1LA. Following a violent incident and concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police Service and the Council's Licensing Team, the committee decided to suspend the licence for three months, remove the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Ali Sukran Karakoyun, and modify the licence with new conditions.

Review of Premises Licence for Roman Express

The Sub-Committee considered an application for the review of the premises licence for Roman Express, 347 Barking Road, East Ham, E6 1LA¹. The review was initiated by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) following a violent incident on 18 October 2025, which involved the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Ali Sukran Karakoyun, and the seizure of a baseball bat from the premises by the MPS on 10 November 2025. The Council's Licensing Team (CLT) also made representations, supporting the MPS application and raising their own concerns. These included a failed compliance check on 9 October 2025 and a report from a local resident on 23 September 2025 alleging that street drinkers were purchasing alcohol from the premises.

The committee noted that any remedial action should be proportionate to the causes of concern. The available powers included taking no action, issuing a warning, adding, removing, or modifying licence conditions, suspending the licence, or revoking it entirely.

The Sub-Committee considered adjourning the hearing as Mr. Karakoyun attended without legal representation and expressed concerns about his full understanding of English. However, after hearing from the responsible authorities, who highlighted that Mr. Karakoyun had been aware of the review application since November 2025 and had ample time to secure legal representation, the committee decided to proceed. They determined it was in the public interest to do so, given Mr. Karakoyun had provided written representations and demonstrated an understanding of the seriousness of the incidents.

After reviewing all written and oral representations, the members decided to suspend the licence for three months, modify its conditions, and remove Ali Sukran Karakoyun as the Designated Premises Supervisor.

Reasons for the Decision:

The MPS detailed their representation, including CCTV footage showing the DPS involved in a violent disorder outside the premises, using a baseball bat from the shop and kicking a person on the ground. An MPS officer stated they had never seen that level of violence before from a licensing perspective. The MPS indicated that if revocation was not pursued, they would seek the removal of Mr. Karakoyun as DPS and modifications to the licence, including conditions for training and conflict management.

The CLT's representations highlighted that the violent disorder undermined the DPS's competency. They noted that Mr. Karakoyun only produced the baseball bat after police threatened to search the premises and that he had failed to comply with licence conditions, such as maintaining a refusals log and staff training records. The CLT also reported that Mr. Karakoyun had not engaged with them to address the issues and that the area surrounding the premises suffered from street drinkers, with a local resident identifying Roman Express as a place for them. A CLT officer witnessed a street drinker purchasing alcohol during a compliance check.

Mr. Ali Karakoyun stated that he acted in self-defence during the violent disorder, claiming the individuals were shoplifters from whom he had confiscated the baseball bat. He asserted he called the police and that the kick was accidental due to his glasses being on the floor. He denied seeing street drinkers in the area.

The members considered revocation but found that removing Mr. Karakoyun as DPS was the appropriate and proportionate step. They were concerned by his actions, including the kick to a person on the floor and the delayed handover of the baseball bat. His failure to comply with licensing conditions, denial of street drinker issues, and the displayed violence indicated he was an irresponsible DPS. The committee felt that training alone would not be sufficient, given the expectation that a DPS should understand the licence and promote the licensing objectives.

The licence was suspended to allow for staff training, including conflict management. The committee noted that the premises had failed to comply with its conditions, and the DPS demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding street drinkers and conflict resolution. The suspension also serves as a deterrent.

Modified Licence Conditions:

The committee imposed several new conditions on the licence, including:

• CCTV: The CCTV system must be maintained, fully operational, and record all public areas, including the immediate exterior. Recordings must be retained for 31 days and be of evidential quality. Staff must be trained in its use, and a log of checks and faults must be kept. Cameras at the entrance must capture identifiable head and shoulder shots. Signs must be displayed indicating CCTV operation.
• Challenge 25 Policy: All customers appearing under 25 attempting to purchase alcohol or age-restricted products must be asked for proof of age. Accepted forms of ID include Pass hologram cards, UK Photo Driving Licences, Passports, and Military ID. Notices must be displayed.
• Refusals Book: A register of refused sales of age-restricted products must be kept, detailing the time, date, description of the purchaser and product, reason for refusal, and the name/signature of the salesperson. The book must be examined weekly by the licensee or DPS, with analysis of trends and staff training needs.
• Controls of Alcohol: Beers, lagers, stout, and ciders sold must not exceed 6.5% ABV. All spirits must be behind the counter and not available for self-service. No spirits in bottles of less than 35cl will be permitted. All alcohol for sale must be within clear CCTV view. Single cans or bottles of certain alcoholic drinks are prohibited. Outside permitted hours, all alcohol must be screened off by a lockable cabinet. Alcohol stock must only be purchased from registered wholesalers.
• Staff Training: A written record of all staff authorised to sell alcohol, including their personal details, must be kept on the premises. Staff must receive adequate, documented training on age-restricted products and their responsibilities. They must be capable of identifying street drinkers and challenging those under 25. Refresher training must be provided by a reputable provider before the suspension period ends, covering licence conditions and conflict management, with subsequent refresher training every 12 months. Records must be kept in a bound book and retained for two years. Effective controls must be in place to prevent unauthorised staff from selling alcohol.

The premises' opening and closing times remain 24 hours a day, with off-sale alcohol provision from Monday to Sunday, 10:00 to 00:00.