The Licensing Sub-Committee of Wandsworth Council was scheduled to consider a new premises licence application for Kibou, a restaurant located at 175-177 Northcote Road, London SW11 6QF. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items such as apologies and declarations of interest.

Kibou Premises Licence Application

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a new premises licence for Kibou, a restaurant at 175-177 Northcote Road, London SW11 6QF. The applicant, Kibou Restaurants Limited, sought permission for the retail sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, and for the provision of late-night refreshment.

The proposed hours for the sale of alcohol were from 10:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 to 23:00 on Sundays. The applicant also proposed to utilise deregulated hours for regulated entertainment, from 08:00 to 23:00. Late-night refreshment was requested until 23:30 Monday to Saturday, and 23:00 on Sundays. The premises had previously held licences for various restaurants since 2005, but these had lapsed.

The report pack indicated that responsible authorities, including the Metropolitan Police, Environmental Services Officer (Health & Safety), the Planning department, and the London Fire & Emergency Planning Authority, had not raised any concerns. The Environmental Services Officer (Noise) had withdrawn their representation after regulated entertainment was removed from the application.

However, three representations were received from other persons concerning the promotion of the licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Two of these representations were withdrawn following an agreement with the applicant, which included adjustments to hours and the removal of regulated entertainment. One representation remained, citing concerns about late-night noise pollution, the impact on a single mother and her child, and the potential for increased drunkenness in a residential area.

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider the application in light of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which outlines policies for promoting the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance; and the protection of children from harm. They were also to have regard to the Government's Statutory Guidance.

The report pack outlined potential conditions that could be attached to the licence if granted. These included conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule, such as maintaining a CCTV system, ensuring food and non-intoxicating beverages are available, and reminding customers to leave quietly. Conditions related to the protection of children from harm included requesting proof of age for those appearing under 25, displaying notices regarding alcohol sales to minors, and maintaining a refusal record. The Sub-Committee could choose to grant the application as requested, modify the conditions, or reject the application, but any decision must be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.

The full report pack for this meeting can be found at Public reports pack 17th-Dec-2019 19.00 Licensing Sub-Committee.