The Licensing Sub-Committee of Lambeth Council met on Thursday 12 March 2026 to consider two applications: a new premises licence for Milan Pizzeria and a review of the premises licence for Macan Lounge. The committee granted the application for Milan Pizzeria with amended hours and added conditions, but revoked the licence for Macan Lounge due to repeated breaches of licensing objectives.

Milan Pizzeria Premises Licence Application

The committee considered an application for a new premises licence for Milan Pizzeria, located at 143 South Lambeth Road, London SW8 1XN. The applicant sought authorisation for late-night refreshments from Monday to Sunday, 11:00 PM to 3:00 AM.

The applicant's agent, Mr. Olsen Daly, argued that the premises operated a lower-risk model, primarily delivery-led, and that the requested hours could be granted without undermining licensing objectives. He highlighted that the premises is a small pizza restaurant with limited public space, designed to accommodate no more than seven to ten persons at a time. Mr. Daly acknowledged that the requested hours fell outside the council's licensing policy but stressed that these were guidelines, not fixed caps, and each application should be considered on its own merits. He also noted that the application included comprehensive conditions for managing noise, litter, delivery activity, and congregation, such as CCTV, an incident log, driver delivery controls, and no outdoor sound.

Lambeth Licensing Officer, Ms. Pam Riley, raised an objection based on the requested hours falling outside the local licensing policy, which recommends closing times of midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:00 PM from Sundays to Thursdays.

During the discussion, Councillor Linda Bray raised concerns about waste disposal, proposing that it should not take place between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM, in line with Lambeth's licensing policy. Mr. Daly agreed to this condition, with a slight exemption for food items to mitigate pest issues. Councillor Bray also inquired about neighbour consultation, to which Mr. Daly stated that only the statutory notices displayed at the premises had been used, and no comments were received.

The committee deliberated on the proposed hours and conditions. Ultimately, the Licensing Sub-Committee resolved to grant the application with amended hours. The premises will be open to the public from Sunday to Thursday between 11:00 PM and midnight, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 PM to 2:00 AM. An additional condition was added regarding waste disposal, stating that waste disposal, including bottle and bins shall not occur between 2200 hours and 800 hours. The decision notice, including details on any appeal, will be sent to the applicant within five working days.

Macan Lounge Premises Licence Review

The committee then considered a review of the premises licence for Macan Lounge, located at 136-138 Streatham Hill, London SW2 4RS. The review was initiated by the licensing authority due to repeated failures to comply with licence conditions and uphold licensing objectives, specifically concerning public safety and public nuisance. Seven representations were received in support of the review from various parties, including the licensing authority, environmental health, a ward councillor, the Metropolitan Police, and three residents.

Justin Atkinson, the licensing officer for Lambeth Council, presented the licensing authority's case, detailing breaches identified through CCTV footage and an inspection on 29 November 2025. These breaches included:

• No open vessels containing alcohol allowed off the premises (Annex 3, Condition 18).
• No vertical drinking in any external area (Annex 3, Condition 23).
• Failure to engage licensed SIA security personnel during DJ hours to monitor noise escape (Annex 3, Condition 43).
• Customers remaining beyond permitted hours (Annex 3, Condition 55).
• No vertical drinking within the premises (Annex 3, Condition 56).

Mr. Atkinson highlighted that CCTV footage showed patrons congregating outside with alcohol and consuming it, with no evidence of crowd control or intervention by security staff. He also noted that the prohibition of vertical drinking was specifically imposed to ensure the venue operated as a restaurant, not a bar.

Mr. Bill Don, representing the licence holder, argued that the majority of complaints stemmed from the use of Temporary Event Notices (TENs), which he contended trump licence conditions. He stated that the premises had operated as a restaurant for three years and that TENs had been used for birthday parties and celebrations, allowing trading until 3:00 AM. Mr. Don claimed that the music equipment was always fed through a noise limiter, which had been calibrated by Lambeth Council. He conceded that on the night of the inspection, there were breaches, but disputed that there was any public disorder or breach of licensing objectives. He suggested that revocation was too severe and proposed modifications to the hours, such as ceasing recorded music at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and implementing a 30-minute drinking-up time.

Councillor Donna Harris, the ward councillor, presented a representation highlighting a pattern of poor behaviour and failed management, with residents reporting extreme noise, public disorder, outside drinking, and drug use since August 2023. She stated that warnings had been issued to the premises, but these had been ignored. Councillor Harris argued that the business model itself was in tension with the licensing objectives.

Residents also provided testimony. Aaron Golding, who lives in the building above the lounge, described the severe emotional distress caused by routine music playing until the early hours, impacting her and her children. She also reported witnessing public urination and drug use affiliated with the premises. Boyan, another resident, stated that the noise from the lounge was so loud it vibrated through furniture and made sleep impossible, and that the premises operated more like a nightclub than a restaurant. He also noted that many residents were reluctant to complain due to the stress involved.

Matthew Onakoya, a Commercial and Technical Officer for Environmental Health, testified about an inspection on 29 November 2025 where he and his colleagues experienced obstructive behaviour from staff when attempting to check the noise limiter. He stated that the noise limiter had potentially been tampered with and that there had been 22 complaints from residents regarding noise since March 2025.

Following deliberation, the Licensing Sub-Committee determined that the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public safety, and preventing public nuisance were not being met. They concluded that the business's approach of using TENs to evade compliance with licensing conditions demonstrated a material lack of awareness of responsibility. The obstruction of licensing officers further undermined the objectives. Consequently, the committee decided to revoke the premises licence for Macan Lounge. The decision will be communicated to the applicant in writing within five working days, with details regarding any appeal process.