The Licensing Sub Committee of Haringey Council was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Bruce Burgers, located at 93 Bruce Grove, Tottenham, London, N17 6UZ. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items.

Application for a New Premises Licence at Bruce Burgers

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a new premises licence for Bruce Burgers, a restaurant located at 93 Bruce Grove, Tottenham, London, N17 6UZ. The application, submitted by Pindy Kaur for Bruce Burgers Ltd, sought to allow for:

• Regulated Entertainment (Recorded Music): Monday to Sunday, from 23:00 to 01:00.
• Late Night Refreshment: Monday to Sunday, from 23:00 to 01:00.
• Sale of Alcohol: Monday to Sunday, from 17:00 to 01:00, for consumption on the premises.
• Hours Open to the Public: Monday to Sunday, from 17:00 to 01:00.

The report pack indicated that representations had been received from the Metropolitan Police, the Licensing Authority, and residents. Some residents submitted representations in support of the application, while others submitted representations against it.

The report outlined the potential steps the Sub-Committee could take, including granting the application as requested, granting it with additional conditions or alterations, excluding licensable activities, or rejecting the application in whole or in part. It was noted that any decision to modify conditions or reject the application must be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives and not merely desirable.

The report also highlighted that the proposed hours for the premises licence extended beyond the current planning permission hours. The existing planning permission stipulated that the premises should not operate after 23:30 on Mondays to Saturdays and after 23:00 on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The report drew attention to guidance from the Secretary of State under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, which states that Where these hours are different to the licensing hours, the applicant must observe the earlier closing time. ¹ The applicant had been advised to seek a change of use application with the Planning department to regularise these hours.

Concerns were raised by the Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Authority regarding the potential impact on the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. Specific concerns included the use of the rear garden area late into the evening, potential noise disturbances for nearby residents, and the general impact of late-night operations in a predominantly residential area. The police representation suggested specific hours and additional conditions that, if accepted, would lead them to withdraw their objection. The Licensing Authority also proposed reduced hours for the rear garden and specific conditions related to noise control and public nuisance.

Representations in support of the application from residents, including the Gabbidon family, highlighted the positive family atmosphere Bruce Burgers brought to the community and stated they had not experienced any issues with noise or disturbance from the restaurant's garden area, even with its use beyond 10 pm.

Conversely, representations against the application from residents such as Ursula Casserly, Annalisa Plachesi, and Brendan Olley expressed significant concerns about noise, litter, crime, and drug use, which they believed were correlated with late-night venues. They argued that extending the alcohol licence would exacerbate these issues in the residential neighbourhood.

The report also included information from the Planning Department, confirming that the current planning permission allowed for use as a restaurant/takeaway with specific operating hours. It reiterated that if the proposed licence hours differed, the applicant would need to seek planning permission to change these hours to avoid potential enforcement action.