The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council met on Thursday 9 May 2024 to consider an application to vary the premises licence for Tropical, located at 186-188 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5TY. The application, made by Carlos Fernando Delgado Armijos, sought to extend the trading hours of the venue. After hearing representations from the applicant, responsible authorities, and considering the premises' history, the sub-committee resolved to refuse the application.

Application to Vary Premises Licence for Tropical

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered an application by Carlos Fernando Delgado Armijos to vary the premises licence for Tropical, located at 186-188 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5TY. The application sought to extend the trading hours for the sale of alcohol, late-night refreshment, and regulated entertainment, as well as the overall opening hours of the premises.

Representations were received from the Metropolitan Police Service, the council's Trading Standards team, and the council's Licensing Authority. The police objected on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm, noting that the requested hours were significantly longer than those recommended in the Southwark Statement of Licensing Policy and were more akin to a nightclub than a restaurant. Trading Standards requested specific conditions regarding the sale of spirits to be added to the licence. The Licensing Authority also objected, citing concerns about the impact on local residents and referencing a previous refusal of a similar application in October 2018 due to non-compliance with licence conditions.

During the hearing, the applicant's representative explained that the extended hours were sought to allow Tropical to compete with other nearby venues and that the premises primarily operated as a restaurant, with alcohol sales being secondary. They stated that the premises had been soundproofed and that recent breaches of licence conditions were minor operational issues that had been rectified.

However, the Licensing Authority representative highlighted a pattern of non-compliance, noting that a recent inspection on 26 April 2024 found the premises in breach of several conditions, including those related to first aid provisions, fire extinguisher maintenance, CCTV footage retention, and the Challenge 25 age verification policy. The officer expressed a lack of confidence that the premises would operate compliantly with extended hours, given these ongoing issues. The sub-committee also noted that the applicant's representative had described the premises as a club where patrons loved to get up and samba, which, coupled with the lack of a restaurant condition, suggested an intention to operate as a nightclub, a use deemed inappropriate for the area under the Southwark Statement of Licensing Policy.

The sub-committee considered the premises' history, including previous warnings and a prior refusal of extended hours in 2018. They also took into account the Southwark Statement of Licensing Policy¹, which recommends earlier closing times for restaurants and deems nightclubs unsuitable for residential areas. Given the repeated breaches of licence conditions and the concerns raised about the premises' operational management and intended use, the sub-committee resolved to refuse the application to vary the premises licence.