The Licensing Sub-Committee of Redbridge Council met on Thursday 3 September 2026 to discuss the procedure for licensing hearings and a specific application for a premises licence. The primary focus of the meeting was an application for a new premises licence for Ali Curry House, located at 303 High Road, Ilford.

Procedure for Licensing Hearings

The committee was scheduled to review the established procedure for conducting licensing hearings. This procedure outlines the steps to be followed during a hearing, including the order in which parties present their cases, the questioning of witnesses, and the process for reaching a decision. The procedure details that an officer would present a factual summary of the application, followed by the case for the applicant, and then the case for any responsible authorities making representations. Summing up would then occur before the sub-committee deliberated in private.

Application for a Premises Licence: Ali Curry House

The main item on the agenda was an application for a new premises licence for Ali Curry House, located at 303 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1NR. The application, submitted by Natasha Nunn on behalf of applicant Mr Khurram Shahzad, sought to enable the licensable activity of late-night refreshment.

The application requested the following hours for late-night refreshment: Monday to Sunday, from 23:00 until 05:00 the following day. The premises were also to be open to the public from Monday to Sunday, 00:00 until 00:00. The premises is described as a restaurant and takeaway business with no sale of alcohol.

Three objections were lodged by responsible authorities: the Metropolitan Police Licensing Team, the Council's Licensing Enforcement team, and Public Health. These objections were based on concerns that granting the licence could negatively impact all four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

The premises is situated within the Ilford Town Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ)¹, which means there is a presumption against granting new licences unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated to show that the application will not add to the cumulative impact in the area. The report pack detailed the council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which outlines the approach to applications within CIZs and provides framework hours for licensed restaurants and cafes in the Ilford Town area. The requested hours were noted as being significantly beyond these recommended framework hours.

The report pack also outlined the legal and fairness implications of the application, including considerations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010.

The committee was presented with recommendations to either grant the application, grant it with additional conditions, grant it in part, or reject it. The decision was to be communicated to the parties within five working days.