The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee of Waltham Forest Council is scheduled to convene on Friday, 11 September 2026. The primary focus of the meeting will be the consideration of a new premises licence application for St. Mary's Church in Walthamstow. The committee will also discuss the procedural aspects of licensing sub-committee hearings.

Grant of a Premises Licence for St. Mary's Church

A significant item on the agenda is the consideration of an application for a premises licence for St. Mary's Church, located at Church End, Walthamstow, E17 9RJ. The application, submitted by The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Walthamstow, seeks permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, and to exhibit films, between the hours of 12:00 and 22:30, Monday to Sunday. The premises would be open to the public from 08:00 to 23:00 daily.

The report pack indicates that two representations have been received regarding this application: one from other persons and one from the responsible authority, the licensing team. These representations raise concerns related to the licensing objectives of preventing public nuisance, preventing crime and disorder, and protecting children from harm. The committee will need to consider these representations and decide whether to grant the application in full, in part, or refuse it. The report also outlines the mandatory conditions that would apply to any granted licence, as well as general principles for setting appropriate licence conditions, which must be precise, enforceable, and tailored to the specific premises and activities.

The report details the applicant's operating schedule, explaining that the church seeks to host afternoon and evening events, as well as private and corporate functions, to raise funds for its outreach and community programmes. The application aims to provide greater flexibility for organising these events, which often include community-focused activities such as fairs, drama productions, and concerts, and also to allow for the sale of alcohol at private events like wedding parties. The proposed hours for alcohol sales are intended to facilitate daytime community events, with stallholders potentially selling alcohol for on-site consumption and as off-sales. The application builds on a track record of successful Temporary Event Notices (TENs) over the past two years. The report also notes that the usual opening hours of the church are 08:30 to 16:00, and the premises licence seeks to extend these to accommodate occasional evening events.

The report from the Licensing Authority, submitted by Sherman Xavier, outlines specific conditions and amendments proposed to address concerns. These include requirements for maintaining incident reports and registers, regular glass and bottle collection, periodic checks of external areas for smoking and noise, and comprehensive training for staff involved in alcohol sales. For the protection of children from harm, a Challenge 25 policy is proposed, with specific requirements for acceptable forms of identification and a register of refused alcohol sales.

The report also includes representations from residents of Monoux Almshouses, specifically from Mary Fahey, who expresses concerns about the potential for reduced privacy and peace due to noise and litter from seven-day-a-week events. Their suggestion is to limit the licence to weekends, from Friday to Sunday or Thursday to Saturday.

Procedure at Licensing Sub-Committees

The committee will also review the established procedure for Licensing Sub-Committees when considering new applications and variations. This procedure outlines the steps involved, including introductions, the presentation of the report by the licensing officer, the presentation of cases by the applicant, responsible authorities, and other parties, followed by questions from the sub-committee. The process concludes with summing-up statements and the sub-committee retiring to make its decision.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Council Chamber at Waltham Forest Town Hall. Attendees are reminded that all council and committee meetings are held in public unless specific business requires exclusion, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972. The agenda and reports are available electronically on the council's Democracy website.