The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider applications for new and varied premises licences. These applications involved requests to extend operating hours and licensable activities for several venues across the borough.

Licensing Applications

The committee was scheduled to consider three specific licensing applications:

Arepera Conuco Limited, Conuco - 14 Brixton Road, London SW9 6BU (Variation)

This application was scheduled to seek a variation to the existing premises licence for Conuco, a Venezuelan restaurant. The proposed changes were to extend the hours for late-night refreshment and the sale of alcohol. Specifically, the applicant was seeking to extend late-night refreshment hours to 1:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until midnight from Sunday to Thursday. The sale of alcohol was also proposed to be extended to 1:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until midnight from Sunday to Thursday. The current licence permits alcohol sales until 11:00 pm and late-night refreshment until 11:00 pm on Sundays to Thursdays, and until 11:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The Licensing Authority had submitted a representation, expressing concerns that the requested hours exceeded those recommended in the Council's Licensing Policy¹ and could adversely affect local residents. The policy recommends terminal hours of midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday for restaurants in local centres/shopping parades.

Venue Lab Limited, 26 Leake Street - 7 Addington Street, London SE1 7RY (New)

This application was scheduled to seek a new premises licence for Venue Lab Limited at 26 Leake Street, 7 Addington Street, London SE1 7RY. The applicant was seeking authorisation for regulated entertainment, late-night refreshment, and the retail sale of alcohol. The proposed hours were extensive, with licensable activities potentially running from 8:00 am to 6:00 am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and until 2:00 am from Sundays to Wednesdays. Late-night refreshment was proposed until 6:30 am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and until 2:30 am from Sundays to Wednesdays. Alcohol sales were also proposed until 6:00 am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and until 2:00 am from Sundays to Wednesdays. The premises is classified as an Other Entertainment venue within a District Centre according to the Lambeth Licensing Policy², which recommends a terminal hour of 1:00 am for such venues. Representations were received from the Environmental Health (Public Protection) team, recommending the installation of a noise limiter to control amplified sound, and from local residents concerned about public nuisance, crime and disorder, and public safety due to the proposed late hours and the venue's proximity to residential properties in County Hall North Block and South Block. The Planning Department had also noted a conflict between the proposed hours and existing planning permission conditions.

TPX25 Limited, Tropix - Royal Oak Public House 10 Clapham High Street London SW4 7UT (Variation)

This application was scheduled to seek a variation to the existing premises licence for Tropix, described as a wine bar. The applicant sought to extend the terminal hours for all licensable activities by one hour each day. This would mean extending film screenings to 4:00 am daily, indoor sporting events to 3:00 am daily, live and recorded music, and entertainment similar to music/dance to 3:30 am daily, late-night refreshment to 3:30 am daily, and alcohol sales to 3:30 am daily. The current licence permits alcohol sales and late-night refreshment until 2:30 am. The premises is located in a Local centre/shopping parade and is classified as a Drinking Establishment under the Lambeth Licensing Policy³. The policy recommends terminal hours of midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11:00 pm from Sunday to Thursday for such premises. Representations were received from the Commercial Licensing Authority and Councillor Linda Bray, raising concerns about the proposed hours exceeding policy recommendations and potentially negatively impacting residents and the local environment, contributing to increased crime and disorder, public nuisance, and risks to public safety. Councillor Bray specifically highlighted the premises' location in a densely populated area with nearby residential properties and its position within the Clapham High Street cumulative impact zone⁴.