The Licensing Sub Committee Hearing Panel of Manchester Council is scheduled to consider an application for a variation to a premises licence for Southern Fried Chicken. This application has attracted objections from Greater Manchester Police and the Council's Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team.

Application for Premises Licence Variation - Southern Fried Chicken

The panel is scheduled to consider an application to vary the premises licence for Southern Fried Chicken, located at 264 Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M14 6JR. The application, detailed in the Public reports pack, seeks to extend the permitted hours for late-night refreshment until 3:00 am, seven days a week. Additionally, the applicant wishes to remove the existing permissions for the sale of alcohol and the playing of recorded music, with the premises intending to operate solely as a restaurant with takeaway and delivery services.

The application has generated objections from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team. GMP has raised concerns that the proposed CCTV conditions are not robust enough and that the applicant has not proposed the use of SIA registered security staff, despite intending to operate late into the night in a busy area. They also note that the premises is located within the Fallowfield Special Policy Area, where the policy is to refuse applications for hot-food takeaways and delivery services operating in the late-night economy, except in exceptional circumstances. GMP believes that no exceptional circumstances have been detailed and therefore requests the application be refused.

The Licensing and Out of Hours Compliance Team echoes these concerns, highlighting that the applicant has not acknowledged the Fallowfield Special Policy Area and has not offered adequate conditions to address potential issues of noise, litter, or anti-social behaviour. They note the proximity to residential properties and express concern about noise nuisance, particularly from delivery drivers. The team also points out that there is no mention of SIA approved door staff and raises issues regarding delivery driver parking and potential disturbance to residents on Sherwood Street and Boland Drive. Furthermore, they state that litter is an ongoing issue in the Fallowfield area and that the licensing of this premises would likely increase this problem, placing further strain on council resources. The team also observes that the area already has a high density of licensed hot-food takeaways.

The report pack outlines the relevant policies that the panel must consider, including the Licensing Act 2003¹, the Secretary of State's Guidance to the Licensing Act 2003², the National Licensing Policy Framework³, and the Manchester Statement of Licensing Policy 2024-2029⁴. The Manchester Statement of Licensing Policy includes specific area-based policies, such as the Fallowfield Special Policy Area, which sets out a strict approach to certain types of premises, particularly those operating in the night-time and late-night economy. The panel will need to determine whether to grant the licence with conditions, exclude certain licensable activities, refuse to specify a designated premises supervisor, or reject the application entirely.