The Licensing Sub Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday 18 June 2024 to consider several applications for premises licences and variations. The committee granted a new premises licence for The Yard Theatre, subject to conditions, and approved a variation to the premises licence for Studio Spaces Ltd (E1), allowing for extended hours on Sunday nights into Monday mornings. However, an application for a new premises licence for We Are Bard Books was refused.

The Yard Theatre - New Premises Licence Application

The committee granted a new premises licence for The Yard Theatre, located at Unit 2A, Queen's Yard, 43 Whitepost Lane, London, E8 5EN. This application was for a shadow licence, meaning it mirrored the terms of an existing licence held by the landlord, Hatton Garden Properties Limited. The purpose of a shadow licence is to provide a safety net for the landlord should the current licence held by the tenant lapse.

Representations were made by three residents who expressed concerns about potential public nuisance, crime, and disorder. They feared the application would lead to increased noise and disturbance. The applicant, represented by Holly McColgan and Jason Smith, argued that the application was for a shadow licence only and would not introduce any new uses or extend existing hours. They highlighted that the application was on the same terms as the existing licence and that there were no representations from responsible authorities such as the police or environmental health.

The committee decided to grant the licence, noting that the application was for a shadow licence and did not propose any new activities or extended hours beyond those already permitted by the existing licence.

Studio Spaces Ltd (E1) - Variation of Premises Licence

The committee approved a variation to the premises licence for Studio Spaces Ltd (E1), located at 110 Pennington Street, London, E1W 2BB. The variation sought to extend the hours for all licensable activities on Sundays into Monday mornings and to make minor amendments to the internal layout plan.

Representations were received from the Licensing Authority and Environmental Protection, primarily concerning the potential for public nuisance and increased disturbance to residents due to the extended hours. Environmental Health specifically objected to the proposed hours and the change in the plan. The applicant, represented by Sarah Clover, argued that the venue already operated with extended hours on other nights and that the proposed extension had been trialled without complaint. They also highlighted that the police had not objected and had provided advice on dispersal. The applicant offered two additional conditions: notifying the police and licensing 14 days in advance of any extended Sunday openings, and holding six-monthly meetings with responsible authorities.

The committee granted the variation, allowing the extended hours. They acknowledged the concerns raised but were persuaded by the applicant's arguments regarding the venue's existing operational history, the lack of resident complaints, and the proposed additional conditions.

We Are Bard Books - New Premises Licence Application

The committee refused an application for a new premises licence for We Are Bard Books at 341-343 Roman Road, London, E3 5QR. The application sought to sell alcohol both on and off the premises, with proposed hours from 11:00 to 23:00 Monday to Saturday, and 11:00 to 22:30 on Sundays.

Representations were received from residents citing concerns about public nuisance, public safety, and crime and disorder. A key point of contention was the use of an external courtyard/garden area, with residents recalling previous conditions imposed on the site when it was licensed as The Chesterfield to mitigate noise. The applicant, Vicki Shenkin Kerr, had proposed several conditions, including restricting garden use after 20:00 and keeping doors and windows closed from that time. Police also agreed to certain conditions related to CCTV and incident logging.

Despite the applicant's proposed conditions and agreements with the police, the committee refused the application. They were not satisfied that the proposed measures would adequately prevent public nuisance, particularly concerning the use of the outdoor area and potential noise disturbance to nearby residents. The committee noted that the proposed hours were also outside the council's framework hours for Sundays.

Other Matters

The committee also noted that item 4.2 on the agenda, an application for a new premises licence for We Are Bard Books, had been withdrawn. This appears to be a reference to the application that was subsequently refused.

The committee also formally confirmed the minutes of the previous meetings held on 23 April and 14 May 2024.