The Licensing Sub Committee C of Islington Council was scheduled to meet on Thursday 21 May 2026 to consider two applications for premises licences. The first was a variation to an existing licence for the Co-Op on Junction Road, and the second was for a new licence for Frequency Coffee in Angel Square.

Premises Licence Variation - Co-Op, 11-19 Junction Road, London, N19 5QT

The committee was scheduled to discuss a proposed variation to the premises licence for the Co-Op located at 11-19 Junction Road, London, N19 5QT. The application sought to extend the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The store itself would close to the public at 11:00 pm on Mondays to Saturdays and 10:30 pm on Sundays, with all sales between closing and reopening being for online delivery only.

Representations were received from the Licensing Authority, the Metropolitan Police, and the Council's Noise Service. The Licensing Authority raised concerns regarding the potential for increased alcohol-related harm and crime and disorder, particularly in relation to the proposed 24-hour availability of alcohol for delivery. They noted that while direct sales to the public would cease at closing, the delivery aspect needed further controls. The Metropolitan Police suggested adding conditions to mitigate the impact of 24-hour alcohol delivery, including ensuring alcohol sales were ancillary to a broader grocery order with a minimum spend and that deliveries were made only to registered residential addresses. The Council's Noise Service objected due to concerns about public nuisance, proposing conditions related to delivery drivers not parking, idling, or congregating near residential premises, and ensuring deliveries did not cause noise disturbance.

The report pack indicated that the applicant had agreed to several conditions proposed by the Noise Service, including instructing delivery agents not to park or idle outside the premises, not to smoke or congregate outside, and to make deliveries in a manner that does not cause noise nuisance. The applicant also proposed additional conditions, such as no access to the premises for the public after closing hours, except in emergencies, and that deliveries would only be made to business or residential addresses, not public open spaces.

New Premises Licence - Frequency Coffee, Angel Square, Angel Square, Torrens Street, London, EC1V 1NY

The committee was also scheduled to consider a new premises licence application for Frequency Coffee, located at Angel Square, Angel Square, Torrens Street, London, EC1V 1NY. The application proposed the sale of alcohol for both on and off-premises consumption between 10:00 am and 11:00 pm, Mondays to Sundays. Additionally, the application sought permission for the playing of recorded and live music during the same hours, with the premises to be open to the public from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm daily.

This application was located within the Angel and Upper Street Cumulative Impact Area¹. The report indicated that the Metropolitan Police and the Council's Noise Service had initially made representations but withdrew them after conditions were agreed with the applicant. However, eight local residents submitted objections.

The residents' objections focused on concerns about the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance. They highlighted existing issues in the area, such as alcohol and drug-related anti-social behaviour, littering, public urination, and intimidating behaviour, particularly around the nearby bus transport hub at Duncan Terrace and City Road. Residents expressed concern that granting a licence for alcohol sales and music would exacerbate these problems, especially given the area's saturation with licensed venues. Specific concerns were raised about the potential for increased park drinking, street drinking, and noise from patrons leaving the premises late at night. The proximity to residential properties on Duncan Terrace and the potential for noise leakage from live and recorded music were also highlighted as significant concerns.

The applicant's operating schedule outlined steps to promote the licensing objectives, including operating as a food-led café with alcohol sales being ancillary. They proposed a maximum capacity of 50 persons, a comprehensive CCTV system, an incident and refusal log, and staff training on responsible alcohol sales and customer welfare. They also stated that music would be low-level, occasional, and ancillary to the café use, with measures to manage noise transmission and customer dispersal.