The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met on Friday, 20 March 2026, to consider applications for the review of premises licences. The primary focus of the meeting was the review of licences for the Scorpion Lounge, located at 7 Hall Lane, Chingford, E4 8AA.

Review of Premises Licence: Scorpion Lounge, 7 Hall Lane, Chingford, E4 8AA

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application for the review of the premises licence for the Scorpion Lounge, 7 Hall Lane, Chingford, E4 8AA. This review was initiated by the Metropolitan Police, citing concerns related to the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

The report pack indicated that the application for review was based on the occurrence of a serious incident and several alleged breaches of licence conditions. These were understood to undermine the licensing objectives. The licensing team had received eight representations from other persons and one from the licensing team itself, all in support of the review application. These representations were reportedly based on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and public nuisance.

The premises licence, number 058130, was understood to permit the supply of alcohol, late-night refreshment, and live and recorded music, with specified opening hours and times for the sale of alcohol.

The Sub-Committee was asked to consider the application for review, taking into account the information provided by the Licensing Service, the premises licence holder, and any representations received. In determining the application, the Committee had the power to take steps such as modifying licence conditions, excluding a licensable activity, removing the Designated Premises Supervisor, suspending the licence for up to three months, or revoking the licence entirely.

The report also detailed the procedure for licensing sub-committee hearings, which included introductions, the outlining of procedures by the committee lawyer, the presentation of the licensing officer's report, and the opportunity for all parties to present their cases and be questioned. Following this, all parties would sum up their cases before the sub-committee retired to make its decision, which would usually be announced on the day of the meeting.

Additionally, the agenda indicated a separate, but related, item concerning the review of a shadow premises licence for the same location, Scorpion Lounge, 7 Hall Lane, Chingford, E4 8AA. This also related to the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objectives.

The report pack included several appendices providing further detail on the review application, the existing premises licence, representations received, and a map of the premises' location. These included:

• Appendix A: Application for the Review under Section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003: Metropolitan Police ¹
• Appendix B: Existing premises licence ²
• Appendix C: Representations received from other persons ³
• Appendix D: A representation received from the responsible authority - the licensing team ⁴
• Appendix E: Additional supporting documents from the Metropolitan Police ⁵
• Appendix F: Map showing premises location ⁶