The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council was scheduled to discuss an application for a premises licence for Star One Supermarket. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items.

Licensing Act 2003: Star One Supermarket, Units 1 & 2 Northchurch, Dawes Street, London SE17 2AQ

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003¹ for Star One Supermarket, located at Units 1 & 2 Northchurch, Dawes Street, London SE17 2AQ. The application was made by Rajenthiran Pratheepan and Janani Pratheepan.

The report pack indicated that this application was a new one, submitted under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003. It was subject to representations from responsible authorities, necessitating its referral to the sub-committee for determination. The premises are described as being used for the Sale of general groceries and alcohol. The proposed hours for the sale of alcohol (off-sales only) and the general opening hours were Monday to Sunday from 06:00 to 23:00.

Representations had been received from three responsible authorities: the Metropolitan Police Service, the council's Trading Standards department, and the licensing authority itself in its role as a responsible authority. The Metropolitan Police Service noted a history with the premises, including a previous licence revocation, and believed there had been no material change in ownership. Trading Standards confirmed that the property's lease had not changed since the previous licence was revoked, which they had initiated. The licensing authority's representation mirrored that of Trading Standards, citing the premises' history and lack of change in ownership. There were no representations from other persons.

The report pack detailed a significant history for the premises, previously known as 'Lee's Newsagents' and 'KG2P Convenience Store'. A premises licence was revoked on 23 April 2018 following a review application by the council's Trading Standards service. The grounds for this revocation included the keeping of smuggled spirits, sale of duty-evaded beer and liquor, possession and sale of unstamped alcoholic liquor, offering for sale super-strength beers and liquors that could not be legally sold, and breaches of mandatory licence conditions related to pricing and sourcing of alcohol. Subsequent attempts to obtain a licence for the premises, including applications by Murugesu Sundarapalan and a previous application by the current applicants, had either been refused or withdrawn.

The report also highlighted that the authorised hours of use for the premises for a hot food takeaway (A5 use) were more restricted than the hours applied for in the current licence application.

The council's Statement of Licensing Policy² was referenced, particularly sections relating to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, the promotion of public safety, the prevention of nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. The policy recommended a closing time of 23:00hrs daily for off-licences and grocers/supermarkets with off-sales of alcohol in this area.

The report outlined the principles for making a determination, stating that applications must be granted unless relevant representations are received, and that conditions can only be modified or the application refused if necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives. Conditions must be necessary and proportionate, and decisions must be based on evidence. The sub-committee was reminded of its quasi-judicial capacity, requiring impartiality and a decision based solely on licensing law, guidance, and the council's statement of licensing policy.