The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council met on Tuesday 07 April 2026 to consider two applications concerning The Drinks Seller at 59 Chippenham Road, Romford. The committee announced its decision not to grant the applications to transfer the premises licence and to vary the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS).

The Drinks Seller Applications Not Granted

The Licensing Sub-Committee announced its decision not to grant the applications to transfer the premises licence and vary the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) for The Drinks Seller, located at 59 Chippenham Road, Romford. The Metropolitan Police had raised objections to both applications, citing concerns that the proposed DPS, Ms Hashveen Kaur Hakimzada, was a proxy for her father, Mr Gurmeet Singh Hakimzada.

The police presented evidence that the contact details provided on the application form belonged to Mr Gurmeet Singh Hakimzada, not Ms Hakimzada. They also highlighted that Mr Hakimzada had his own premises licence revoked in 2018 due to the seizure of illegal tobacco, and that a subsequent appeal resulted in a six-week suspension during which alcohol sales continued, as evidenced by a test purchase. The police argued that this indicated a potential for Mr Hakimzada to exercise undue influence or control behind the scenes, undermining the accountability that the DPS role is intended to provide.

Further concerns were raised by the police regarding the distance of Ms Hakimzada's residence in Southall, West London, from the premises, questioning her ability to exercise genuine day-to-day control.

During the hearing, Ms Hakimzada and her agent, Manpreet Singh Kapoor, attempted to demonstrate her understanding of licensing objectives and her commitment to running the business responsibly. However, the Sub-Committee found that their explanations often focused on general licensing knowledge rather than directly addressing the police's specific objections. Ms Hakimzada frequently stated that her father would guide her, which the committee viewed as further support for the police's concerns about proxy control.

The Sub-Committee also noted that Ms Hakimzada could not clearly explain the terms under which she was acquiring the premises, including who would hold the lease and for how long. Her presence at the premises since January 2025 was described as being for a transitional period to order stock, rather than actively managing or training staff. The committee observed that Ms Hakimzada appeared to rely heavily on her agent for answers to their questions, and she was unable to respond to direct questions about the council's statement of licensing policy and cumulative impact zones.

Consequently, the Sub-Committee accepted the police's objections in their entirety and announced its decision not to grant the applications. The applicant has the right to appeal this decision to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days of receiving the written reasons for the refusal.