The Buckinghamshire Council Licensing (Premises) Sub-Committee granted a new premises licence for Petite Social Club, located at 32 High Street, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, SL9 9QA. The licence permits the sale of alcohol with restrictions on hours and the presence of children.

New Premises Licence for Petite Social Club

The Sub-Committee considered an application for a new premises licence for Petite Social Club, a family-focused soft play café. The application sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises between 10am and 11pm daily, with the premises open to the public from 9:30am to 5pm.

The primary concern raised during the hearing was from Chalfont St Peter Parish Council, which objected to the application in full. Their main objection centred on the protection of children from harm, arguing that the sale of alcohol was incompatible with a venue primarily used by babies, toddlers, and young children aged 0-6. They also raised concerns regarding the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and public nuisance.

The applicant, Vishal Dinesh Pankhania, explained that Petite Social Club is a family café and community venue, not a childcare provider or an alcohol-led establishment. He stated that alcohol sales would be ancillary to the main café operation and aimed at accompanying adults, with a limited role in occasional pre-booked private events. The applicant proposed comprehensive controls, including a Challenge 25 policy, staff training, refusal logs, and restricting alcohol consumption to the designated café area.

After deliberation, the Sub-Committee decided to grant the premises licence, but with modifications to the original application. The sale of alcohol was restricted to between 12:00 pm and 11:00 pm daily. For private events, non-standard timing for alcohol sales is permitted until 11:00 pm. This decision was made to further reduce the potential period for alcohol consumption and mitigate risks to the licensing objective of protecting children from harm.

Additionally, a condition was imposed that no person under the age of 18 years shall be permitted to enter or remain on the premises after 5:00 pm. Any use of the premises after this time must be limited to pre-booked private functions. The applicant also agreed to provide a written children's safeguarding policy to the Licensing Authority for approval before the licence takes effect. This policy must specifically address the safeguarding risks associated with the presence and consumption of alcohol in an environment attended by children, including staff awareness and refresher training. The policy must be made available upon request to authorised officers thereafter.

The Sub-Committee noted that no objections were received from responsible authorities such as the Police or Environmental Health. They were satisfied that the applicant intended to operate the premises responsibly and that the proposed conditions, along with the amended alcohol sales hours and the restriction on children after 5:00 pm, would promote the four licensing objectives. The decision was made with regard to the Human Rights Act 1998, balancing the applicant's rights with the interests of the community.