The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday 25 June 2026 to consider an application for a premises licence for Drinks Direct. The committee will also receive a report outlining the procedure for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003.

Application for a Premises Licence - Drinks Direct

The main item on the agenda is an application for a premises licence for Drinks Direct, located at 59 Chippenham Road, Romford, RM3 8HL. This application has been made by Mr Ravinder Singh Grover under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The report pack indicates that Drinks Direct is situated at the end of a parade of commercial outlets, with residential properties located above. The premises falls within the Gooshays cumulative impact zone, an area identified in Havering's licensing policy where the concentration of off-licences is considered to be having a cumulative impact that undermines the licensing objectives. The policy states that granting further licences in such areas will normally be refused unless the applicant can demonstrate why the operation will not add to the cumulative impact.

The application seeks to permit the supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises during the following hours: Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 23:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 22:30.

The report pack notes that this premises was previously licensed as The Drinks Seller off-licence, but that licence was revoked in April 2026. This current application appears to be an attempt to re-license the outlet.

There were no representations made against this application by interested persons. However, Havering's Licensing Authority has made a representation. This representation is based on concerns regarding the applicant's previous history with licensed premises and the application's perceived failure to address the demands of the Gooshays cumulative impact policy.

The Licensing Authority's representation highlights a history of issues associated with Mr Ravinder Singh Grover and premises he has been involved with. This includes a licence review in Slough in 2012 for Drinks Direct Supermarket Limited, where concerns included selling alcohol and cigarettes to underage persons, selling fireworks in breach of licence conditions, and possession of counterfeit alcohol, condoms, and batteries. Further concerns were raised in 2015 regarding possession of counterfeit cigarettes and alcohol, and in 2017 regarding illegal workers at Country Produce in Maldon, which led to the revocation of its premises licence. The report also notes that the premises itself, trading as The Drinks Seller, has already undergone formal review proceedings resulting in the revocation of its licence.

The representation also raises concerns about the applicant's lawful right to occupy the property, noting that the lease is assigned to a Mr Hakimzada, and there have been no attempts by the applicant to transfer the lease into his name. Mr Hakimzada has also reportedly sub-let a separate property owned by the borough against the terms of his lease. Concerns are also raised about Mr Hakimzada's own history, including a premises licence revocation in Ealing.

The Licensing Authority's representation concludes that granting the application would undermine the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and the protection of children from harm.

Procedure for Hearings under the Licensing Act 2003

A report from the Clerk will be presented, outlining the procedure for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003. This report details the options available to the Sub-Committee when considering applications for premises licences, including holding a hearing, modifying licence conditions, or rejecting the application. It also sets out the procedural steps for hearings, including the roles of participants, notification of attendance, and the sequence in which parties will be invited to address the Sub-Committee. The report also covers matters such as cross-examination, the relevance of information, and the Sub-Committee's determination of hearings.

The Sub-Committee members are Councillor Christine Vickery (Chairman), Councillor Geoff Starns, and Councillor Lesley Tyler.