The Licensing Sub Committee of Haringey Council met on Thursday 22 February 2024 to consider an application for a variation to an existing premises licence for Krankbrothers at Finsbury Park, London N4. The application sought to increase the event capacity and add an additional event day.

Application for Variation of Premises Licence for Krankbrothers

The committee was scheduled to consider an application from Krankbrothers Ltd. for a variation to their existing premises licence. The application, detailed in the Public reports pack, proposed two main changes:

• Increased Capacity: An increase in the event capacity from 8,000 to 9,999 persons on all event days.
• Additional Event Day: The addition of an extra event day, specifically a Friday, to the existing licence. This would mean the premises could host two Friday events per calendar year, in addition to the Saturday and Sunday events already covered by the main licence (LN/000023717).

The proposed event site is located to the east of Finsbury Park at the Manor House end, along the carriageway parallel to Green Lanes. The application indicated that the site would be fully enclosed with fencing and would represent a 2% increase in the event site area compared to the previous year. The applicant, Krankbrothers Ltd., is a private limited company with Kieran Clancy listed as a director.

The report pack highlighted that representations had been made against the application by residents, resident groups, and park groups. These representations raised concerns related to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Specific concerns mentioned included the requested capacity increase, the general use of park space for events, the duration of park occupation, potential increases in crime and anti-social behaviour, noise nuisance, and increased anti-social behaviour.

The report also noted that none of the Responsible Authorities (such as the police or fire service) had raised any representations against the application. However, due to the representations from Other Persons (residents and community groups), a hearing was required to consider the application and the objections.

Krankbrothers Ltd. had submitted supporting documents in response to the representations, including an email from the Haringey Events Police Team detailing crime statistics from the 2023 event and an overview from the police. Additionally, Transport for London (TfL) had provided clarification that previous events had not caused concerns for their operations at Finsbury Park or Manor House stations and that the requested increase would not impact station operations.

The report outlined proposed licence conditions and relevant law, guidance, and policies, including the Licensing Act 2003, the Secretary of State's guidance, and the London Borough of Haringey's Licensing Policy Statement. The committee was asked to consider the operating schedule and incorporate any necessary conditions to promote the licensing objectives.

The agenda also included standard procedural items such as filming at meetings, apologies for absence, urgent business, and declarations of interest. The summary of procedure indicated that the Sub-Committee would hear from the Licensing Officer, the applicant, and objectors before deliberating and reaching a decision, which would be provided in writing within five working days.