The Licensing Sub-Committee of Hillingdon Council is scheduled to convene on Monday 10 August 2026 to consider an application to vary a premises licence. The meeting will focus on a single item: an application to vary the licence for the London Empire Hotel.

Application to Vary Premises Licence: London Empire Hotel

The primary focus of the meeting will be an application to vary the premises licence for the London Empire Hotel, located at 233 High Street, Uxbridge UB8 1LD. The application, submitted by London Empire Hotel Limited, seeks to alter the licensable activities and operating hours of the venue.

Specifically, the proposed changes include the removal of the licensable activity of Exhibition of Films. The applicant also seeks to reduce the operating hours for Live Music, Recorded Music, Dancing, Indoor Sporting Events, and the sale of alcohol from the current 11:00 to 06:00 daily to 11:00 to 02:00 daily. The hours for Late Night Refreshment would also be reduced to 23:00 to 02:00 Monday to Sunday. A significant aspect of the application is the proposal to remove all current licence conditions and replace them with a new set of proposed conditions.

The application has attracted a number of representations. The Planning Authority has submitted a representation, and the Ward Members for Uxbridge have also raised concerns, supported by a petition with 260 signatures. Additionally, four interested parties have submitted representations. These representations primarily focus on concerns related to the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and the prevention of public nuisance.

Concerns raised by the Ward Councillors, including Councillor Terence Murray, Councillor Riley Russell, and Councillor Anil Taneja, highlight issues such as the venue advertising a capacity of up to 1000 people while applying for a capacity of 450, persistent anti-social behaviour in the area, and the potential for increased crime and disorder during dispersal periods. They also note that the proposed security measures are reactive rather than preventative and express concern about noise disturbance to adjacent residential properties.

Representations from interested parties, such as Asmatullah Rahimi of Arian Quality Dry Cleaners, Serena Bester, Aimee Fullam, and Michael Hurst, echo these concerns. They detail issues including significant traffic congestion, unsafe parking, noise pollution from amplified music and patrons, littering, vandalism, and anti-social behaviour. Some representations also refer to previous incidents and alleged mismanagement at other venues operated by individuals associated with the London Empire Hotel, citing serious crime and disorder and breaches of legal requirements.

The report pack also includes the current Premises Licence for the London Empire Hotel, which details its existing licensable activities and hours, as well as mandatory conditions and conditions attached following a previous hearing. The report outlines the relevant sections of the s.182 Guidance and Hillingdon's Licensing Policy, which the Sub-Committee will consider when determining the application. The Sub-Committee will need to assess whether the proposed variation and conditions are appropriate for the promotion of the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.