Decision

Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982

as amended by the Policing and Crime Act 2009

Notice of Determination

Application Ref No: 26/01091/SEV

Date of hearing: 2 September 2026

Sub-committee members: [Chair]:            Councillor Richard Wenham

                                                                        Councillor Ann Saffery

                                                                        Councillor Glen Saffery

Officers:         Kevin Chin, Licensing and Compliance Manager

                        Catriona Herbert, Senior Solicitor

                        Sandra Hancock, Democratic Services Lead

                        Daniel Docherty, Senior Democratic Services Officer

                        Katia Neale, Democratic Services Assistant

1. This was an application for the renewal and variation of the Sexual Entertainment Venue (SEV) licence in respect of Diamond & Strings, 9 Market Street, Watford, WD18 0PA.
2. The Sub-committee heard oral evidence from the following witnesses:
3. Robert Sutherland, Consultant Solicitor for the Applicant
4. Naresh Mal, Applicant
5. The following persons were also present but took no part in the Hearing:
6. None
7. The Sub-committee also took into account the representations from the following in their absence:
8. Local residents (Objectors 1 to 4)
9. Hertfordshire Constabulary
10. The following representation was withdrawn prior to the Hearing:
11. None
12. The Sub-committee took into account the provisions of its sex establishment licensing policy (July 2026 to July 2029), being the relevant policy in force at the time of application.
13. The Sub-committee did not make an exception to the Licensing Authority’s sex establishment licensing policy. 
14. The Sub-committee has decided  to approve the renewal and variation made by Admiral Bars (Herts) Limited for the sexual entertainment venue licence for the premises trading as Diamond & Strings at 9 Market Street, Watford, WD18 0PA.

         The Sub-committee found that the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 as amended are relevant to this application.

         The Sub-committee considered all the information before them including the officer report;  submissions on behalf of the Applicant from their legal representative Robert Sutherland and Naresh Mal the Manager of the premises; all written representations against this application received from local residents opposing the application, and a written response from Hertfordshire Constabulary indicating there was no police objection.

         The Licensing Manager presented his report to the Committee and drew Members’ attention to the representations and correspondence received which was summarised in his report.  The Sub-committee was mindful of the need to consider a renewal application as well as the application to extend the hours of operation of the venue as set out clearly in the officer report.

         There was a late additional representation from one of the objectors in relation to the police website crime and Anti-social behaviour statistics in the vicinity of the premises. The Sub-committee having heard representations from the Applicant’s representative and after considering the information in their deliberations did not give any weight to that representation in light of the raw nature of the data and the lack of any link to the operation of the premises.

         The Sub-committee was mindful of the concerns of local residents but in light of the positive Hertfordshire Police representation and the comprehensive information provided by the Applicant’s representative it was clear there were no mandatory grounds available to refuse the renewal application and insufficient evidence to consider any discretionary grounds to refuse the renewal application.

         The council’s own Licensing Policy, only very recently reviewed, had found the locality to be suitable and appropriate for the location of a SEV and the Sub-committee did not hear any evidence to suggest this may have changed.  Accordingly, the Sub-committee followed the policy as to character of the locality being suitable.

         The Sub-committee was satisfied about the proper running and operation of the venue taking into account the representations on behalf of the Applicant and also from the Police. In particular, there have been no reported incidents linked to the operation of the premises. The Sub-committee gave great weight to the Police representation in this regard.  The Sub-committee also noted and gave weight to the discreet operation of the premises and the security at the entrance to the premises as explained by the Applicant’s representatives both in their submissions and in response to questions from Members. 

         In considering the variation application the Sub-committee found it to be a modest extension to the current hours of operation and noted from the submissions on behalf of the Applicant that the number of customers was lower in the last hour of operation and that dispersal was well managed with most customers leaving in taxis directly from the premises.

         In light of all that the members heard the Sub-committee decided to grant the application as applied for and did not have any grounds or reasons to impose additional conditions or amend any of the existing conditions.

Signed [Chair]:          Councillor Richard Wenham

                                    Councillor Ann Saffery

                                    Councillor Glen Saffery

Date: 2 September 2026