The Licensing Sub-Committee granted a new premises licence for Jamaica Blue, a café located at 47-48 The Quadrant, Richmond. The licence permits the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises between 10:00 and 19:00 daily, with the premises open to the public from 07:00 to 19:30. The decision was made after considering representations from local residents and the applicant's proposals to mitigate potential negative impacts.

Jamaica Blue Premises Licence Granted

The Licensing Sub-Committee of Richmond upon Thames Council granted a new premises licence to Jamaica Blue, a café at 47-48 The Quadrant, Richmond. The licence allows for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises between 10:00 and 19:00 daily. The café will be open to the public from 07:00 to 19:30.

The application was opposed by local residents' associations, the Friends of Richmond Green and The Richmond Society, who raised concerns about the potential impact on the Richmond Town Centre Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) and 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 argued that the applicant had not adequately demonstrated how the proposed sale of alcohol would avoid negatively impacting these objectives, particularly in an area already subject to a Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) designed to address issues arising from a high density of licensed premises.

However, the Sub-Committee noted that there were no representations from any of the statutory responsible authorities, including the Metropolitan Police Licensing Team. The applicant, Mital N Limited, represented by Mr Richard Baker and advised by Mr Tim Leader, presented a case that highlighted the café's primary function as a food-led establishment, not a drinking venue. They emphasised that alcohol sales would be ancillary to meals, served by waiting staff to seated customers, and that a limited range of beverages would be offered. The applicant also agreed to a comprehensive set of conditions, including those proposed by the police, and further conditions added by the Sub-Committee.

These conditions include:

• The installation and maintenance of a CCTV system.
• The operation of a Challenge 25 policy for age verification.
• Staff training on safeguarding and the Ask for Angela scheme.
• Alcohol being served only to seated customers with a table meal, with specific definitions for what constitutes a Table Meal.
• A prohibition on drink promotions.
• A limit on the size of alcoholic beverage containers sold to 330ml.
• A condition that no alcoholic beverages will be sold on match days if requested by the Metropolitan Police.
• A half-hour drinking up time after the terminal hour for alcohol sales.

The Sub-Committee considered the applicant's experience as a franchisee and the lack of any previous licensing issues across their other branches. They also took into account the case law of Brewdog Bars Ltd vs Leeds Council¹, which suggested that Cumulative Impact Policies should not be applied too rigidly, and the Thwaites case², which stressed that decisions should be based on evidence rather than speculation.

Ultimately, the Sub-Committee was satisfied that the proposed conditions, combined with the applicant's operational model as a café, would ensure that the licensing objectives would be met and that the premises would not add to the cumulative impact in the area. They concluded that the premises would continue to contribute positively to the local economy and offer a diverse range of products to residents.