The Licensing Sub-Committee of Hillingdon Council met on Wednesday 2 September 2026 to consider the renewal of a temporary street trading licence for Northwood Hills Supermarket. The committee decided to grant the licence for a period of six months, subject to several additional conditions aimed at improving public safety and preventing nuisance.

Renewal of Street Trading Licence for Northwood Hills Supermarket

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered an application for the renewal of a temporary shop front street trading licence for Northwood Hills Supermarket, located at 44-46 Joel Street, Northwood Hills HA6 1PA. The application was for the sale of fruits and vegetables in an area extending three metres from the shop front.

The committee decided to grant the application for a period of six months. However, this was subject to several additional conditions beyond the standard licence terms. These included:

• All deliveries must take place via the rear of the premises.
• No obstructions associated with the licensed activities are permitted on the public highway, such as pallets, crates, or delivery trolleys.
• No produce preparation or cutting stations are to be operated outside the premises within the licensed trading area or on the public highway.

These additional conditions were deemed necessary and proportionate to address concerns raised by the council's Anti-Social Behaviour Response Team.

The subcommittee carefully considered evidence presented by the Anti-Social Behaviour Team regarding highway obstruction, storage of items outside the approved trading area, delivery practices, and the operation of a produce cutting station. Of particular concern was evidence showing knives left at an unmanned cutting station accessible to the public, and items being stored outside the licensed area.

While instances of obstruction and poor management of deliveries and storage were acknowledged, the subcommittee was not satisfied that the mandatory grounds for refusal, specifically insufficient physical space causing highway obstruction, were met. The evidence suggested these issues stemmed from operational practices rather than the physical dimensions of the licensed area. The applicant had provided assurances that delivery drivers were instructed to use the rear of the premises, that pallets and trolleys had been removed from the highway, that the produce cutting station had been moved inside, and that steps had been taken to improve compliance.

The subcommittee also considered the discretionary grounds for refusal, such as previous misconduct or failure to comply with licence conditions. While acknowledging past compliance concerns, including issues with the cutting station, equipment storage, and deliveries obstructing the highway, the committee took into account the remedial actions taken by the applicant and the assurances provided that these practices had ceased. The subcommittee welcomed the applicant's commitment to future adherence to licence conditions.

Ultimately, the subcommittee concluded that refusing the application would be disproportionate. They determined that imposing the additional conditions would adequately safeguard public safety and reduce the risk of public nuisance. The licence holder was reminded of the requirement for strict compliance with all licence conditions, particularly the need to maintain a minimum unobstructed passage of 2 metres on the public highway at all times. The subcommittee also warned that future breaches could lead to enforcement action, including warnings, fixed penalty notices, licence reviews, revocation, or prosecution.

Any person aggrieved by the decision does not have an automatic right of appeal but may apply for a judicial review. The licence holder will be deemed to have received the decision letter two days after the date on the accompanying letter, which will be posted by First Class Mail.