The Licensing Sub-Committee of Croydon Council met on Thursday 24 September 2026 to consider an application for the review of a premises licence. The primary focus of the meeting was a detailed examination of the licence held by Sun Star Food and Wine, located at 74 Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 7JA.

Review of Premises Licence: Sun Star Food and Wine, 74 Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath

The main item scheduled for discussion was an application for the review of the premises licence for Sun Star Food and Wine, located at 74 Brigstock Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 7JA. This review was initiated by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Licensing Compliance Team, acting as a responsible authority under the Licensing Act 2003.

The report pack indicated that the application for review was made on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective. Specifically, the Home Office's application cited concerns arising from an enforcement visit on 22 August 2025, during which two individuals were encountered working at the premises and were identified as working illegally. The report detailed that the premises licence holder, Sebajeevan Sebaratnam, was interviewed by telephone and admitted that both individuals worked at the premises. The Home Office's application stated that the evidence obtained raised serious concerns regarding the adequacy of Mr. Sebaratnam's right-to-work checking procedures.

The report pack outlined the potential steps the Sub-Committee could take if it considered them necessary for the promotion of the licensing objectives. These options included taking no action, modifying the conditions of the licence, excluding a licensable activity from the scope of the licence, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence for a period not exceeding three months, or revoking the licence entirely.

The report pack also included representations from the premises licence holder, submitted by Juris Matrix Solicitors Limited. These representations argued that the review application was fundamentally flawed and factually incorrect, particularly in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Akbars Restaurant (Middlesborough) Limited v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] UKSC 26. This judgment, delivered on 27 July 2026, altered the legal landscape concerning the validity of Civil Penalty Notices (CPNs) issued under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. The solicitors argued that the CPN issued to Sun Star Food and Wine was invalid as it failed to comply with section 15(6)(a) of the Act by not identifying the specific ground of liability relied upon. They also highlighted a letter from DWF Law LLP, solicitors for the Home Office, which acknowledged the impact of the Akbars decision and indicated a potential withdrawal and reissue of the CPN. The licence holder's representatives submitted that the review application, being predicated on an invalid CPN, lacked evidential support and should be dismissed as frivolous or vexatious. They requested that the Licensing Sub-Committee declare the review application irrelevant to the licensing objectives and reject it.

The report pack also contained the premises licence for Sun Star Food and Wine, detailing its authorised licensable activities and permitted times, as well as the mandatory conditions and conditions consistent with the operating schedule. Additionally, it included the council's protocol for licensing hearings under the Licensing Act 2003, outlining the procedures and principles to be followed during such meetings.