The Licensing Sub Committee C of Islington Council met on Tuesday 23 June 2026 to consider new premises licence applications. The committee granted a new premises licence for Pizza Express in Finsbury Park, subject to agreed conditions.

New Premises Licence for Pizza Express, 14 Wells Terrace, London, N4 3JU

The Licensing Sub Committee C granted a new premises licence to Pizza Express at Unit 6, 14 Wells Terrace, London, N4 3JU. The licence permits the sale of alcohol on and off the premises from Sunday to Thursday between 8am and 11pm, and on Fridays and Saturdays between 8am and midnight. Late-night refreshment will be available on Fridays and Saturdays from 11pm to midnight, and recorded music will be played from 8am to 11pm on Sundays to Thursdays, and 8am to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The premises will be open to the public during these hours, with extended hours permitted on New Year's Eve.

The decision was made after considering representations from a local resident who raised concerns about potential public nuisance, crime, and disorder due to the proximity of the premises to residential properties. The resident highlighted existing issues with noise and congregation from nearby businesses. However, the applicant, PizzaExpress, a well-established company with approximately 350 sites nationwide, had significantly reduced their proposed operating hours in response to these concerns. The revised hours were deemed to be within the council's framework hours.

The committee was informed that responsible authorities, including the Metropolitan Police and the Council's Noise Team, had agreed conditions with the applicant and subsequently withdrawn their objections. These conditions, detailed on pages 42 to 43 of the public reports pack¹, cover various aspects including CCTV systems, staff training on age-restricted sales, a Challenge 25 proof of age scheme, an incident log, and measures to prevent public nuisance from noise, odours, and waste. Specific conditions were also included regarding the management of delivery drivers, including a no-idling policy and instructions to abort deliveries if not to a residential or business address.

The applicant's legal representative emphasised that PizzaExpress is a responsible operator and that the new quick service concept, with one already trading successfully in Brixton, would be a positive addition to the local community. They assured the committee that alcohol sales would be ancillary to food purchases and that the premises would not be an alcohol-led operation. The committee was satisfied that the agreed conditions and amended hours would promote the licensing objectives and that the premises would not add to the cumulative impact in the Finsbury Park cumulative impact area².