The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council has revoked the premises licence for The Drink Cellar, located at 59 Chippenham Road, Romford, RM3 8HL. This decision was made following a review of the licence due to concerns about poor supervision, bad practice, and a lack of due diligence at the premises.

Review of The Drink Cellar Premises Licence

The committee decided to revoke the premises licence for The Drink Cellar. This decision was made after hearing representations from the Public Protection Officer for the London Borough of Havering, Mr. Oisheen Daly, the Metropolitan Police, and the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Licensing Team.

Mr. Daly initiated the review application due to concerns that the licensing objectives were being undermined. He detailed an incident where a staff member at the premises was witnessed selling a single can of high-strength alcohol, Oranja Boom, to an individual, despite having been explicitly told by Mr. Daly that such sales might be unlawful. Mr. Daly noted that the staff member's grasp of English was poor, and he seemed to prioritise making the sale over adhering to the instruction, indicating a lack of training and understanding of licensing regulations. He highlighted that the premises is located within the Harold Hill Cumulative Impact Zone¹, an area with significant issues related to street drinking and alcohol dependence. Mr. Daly argued that the absence of conditions on the licence, such as restrictions on high-strength alcohol sales and single can sales, makes the premises more vulnerable to targeting by individuals who are vulnerable and street drinkers.

Detective Constable Chris Stockton of the Metropolitan Police supported the review, stating that the premises demonstrated a lack of understanding of the Licensing Act and was irresponsible in its alcohol sales. He noted that previous inquiries suggested a potential licence by proxy arrangement and that the police had no confidence in the premises operating in accordance with its licence, citing concerns around transparency, compliance, and the integrity of the licensing regime.

Mr. Raj Handel from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Licensing Team echoed these concerns. He highlighted that the proposed Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) had previously been issued civil penalties for employing illegal workers, raising suspicions that the staff member observed by Mr. Daly might also have been working illegally. Mr. Handel stated that without the staff member's date of birth, a definitive check could not be made, but the circumstances were concerning.

Mr. Sally Madden, the previous owner and licence holder, stated he was ready to take full control of the business again, believing this would resolve the issues. However, he admitted to a lack of experience in business transfers and acknowledged that he had trusted the buyer to handle the process, leading to a 14-month period where he was still the licence holder but not actively managing the premises. He confirmed that he had not seen any of the transfer documents and had relied on verbal assurances. Mr. Madden also confirmed that the premises had historically sold single cans of strong alcohol content and that he had agreed with the council to continue doing so, citing that many customers were on benefits and could not afford multi-packs. He also stated that alcohol sales constituted approximately 50% of the shop's general sales, alongside cigarettes.

The committee noted that the application to transfer the premises licence and vary the DPS to Ms. Hashveen Kaur Hakimzadeh had been opposed by the police and rejected. The decision to revoke the licence means that The Drink Cellar will no longer be permitted to sell alcohol. Mr. Madden has the right to appeal this decision within 21 days of receiving written representation, which will be sent within five working days.