The Licensing Sub-Committee of Wandsworth Council met on Wednesday, 18 November 2015, to consider applications for premises licences. The meeting's agenda included a review of the licence for The Bedford public house and a new application for a licence for Leilani restaurant.

Review of The Bedford Premises Licence

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to discuss a review of the premises licence for The Bedford, located at 77 Bedford Hill, London SW12. The review was initiated by a local resident, Mrs Jean White, who cited concerns about increasing noise from loud music and customers. The report pack indicated that the premises has a long history of holding licences, dating back to at least 1923.

Representations in support of the review were received from the Environment Officer, who raised concerns about outdated sound-limiting equipment, and the Metropolitan Police, who were concerned about current conditions relating to CCTV and door supervisors. Two local residents also made representations supporting the review, echoing concerns about noise from music and customers. Conversely, five representations were received from other individuals who supported the premises, highlighting its history and reputation.

The report pack outlined potential actions the Sub-Committee could take, including taking no further action, issuing a warning, modifying licence conditions, excluding licensable activities, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence, or revoking the licence. Suggested conditions arising from the representations included amendments to CCTV systems, the implementation of a Challenge 25 policy for alcohol sales, increased numbers of door supervisors, and the use of a sound-limiting device to control music levels.

New Premises Licence Application for Leilani Restaurant

The Sub-Committee was also scheduled to consider a new application for a premises licence for Leilani Restaurant, located at 14 Lavender Hill, London SW11. The applicant, TMP Leisure Ltd, sought a licence for the retail sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, the provision of regulated entertainment, and late-night refreshment.

The Metropolitan Police submitted a representation requesting a refusal of the licence, citing concerns about the day-to-day ownership and management of the premises, referencing a previous licence revocation. They proposed that if the licence were granted, the terminal hour for all licensable activities should be 23:00 hours, with the premises closing 30 minutes later. The Environmental Services Officer also made representations regarding noise disturbance, recommending that regulated entertainment end at 23:00 hours Sunday to Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday. One local business owner also expressed concern about potential noise nuisance.

The applicant's operating schedule proposed conditions including the employment of door supervisors, the installation and maintenance of a CCTV system, an incident book, and measures to prevent customers from bringing or taking out open containers. Suggested conditions arising from the representations included enhanced CCTV requirements, a more detailed refusals book, increased door supervisor numbers, and the commissioning of an acoustic survey and the installation of a sound-limiting device.

The report pack detailed the proposed hours for each licensable activity, including the sale of alcohol, regulated entertainment, and late-night refreshment, across different days of the week.