The Licensing Sub Committee will be provided with reports on two applications for new premises licences in Tower Hamlets. One of the new licences is for a new restaurant and the other is for a pub. A number of local residents have written to the council to object to the granting of the new licences.

Application for (The Widow's Son), 75 Devon's Road, London E3 3PJ

The report pack for this meeting contains an application for a new premises licence for the Widow's Son pub in Bromley-by-Bow. The applicant, Mr Selim Balta, has applied for permission to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises from 12:00 to 22:30 Sunday to Thursday and 12:00 to 23:30 on Friday and Saturday. He has also applied for permission to serve late night refreshment¹ from 23:00 to 00:00 on Friday and Saturday. The Widow's Son already has a premises licence that permits the sale of alcohol later at night, but the applicant is seeking to change the permitted hours. A number of conditions have been agreed with the council's Environmental Protection team. These include a restriction on waste collections after 22:00, the displaying of notices asking customers to leave the venue quietly, and restrictions on the location and volume of music played in the venue. Two local residents have also submitted letters objecting to the granting of the new licence.

Mr Josh Oldham, who lives near the pub, wrote that

Last time the pub operated we had repeated issues with excessive noise from the pub, particularly regarding the playing of very loud music late into the night.

He went on to say that he tried to resolve the issues with the pub but that they were dismissive and he found it difficult to secure the support of the council. He explained that the noise from the pub was so bad that it affected his mental health and caused problems at work.

Rebecca Oldham, who also lives near the pub, wrote to say that the pub

was frequently in breach of its license, leading to disturbances and safety concerns for residents.

She explained that there were

multiple lock ins, and it was not uncommon for me to be leaving for work as an NHS nurse at 6am, after no sleep because of the pub, to see that people ( including the manager at that time) were still inside drinking alcohol and making noise.

Application for (Taco Taco), 141 Commercial Street, London E1 6BJ

The meeting pack also contains an application for a new premises licence for Taco Taco, a restaurant on Commercial Street. The applicant, Mr Damien Aiudi, has applied for permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 12:00 to 21:00 every day.

Eleven local residents have written to the council to complain about the application and the council's Licensing Authority has also made a representation against the granting of the licence.

The Licensing Authority explains in their representation that the premises are located in an area that is covered by the council's Special Cumulative Impact Policy for the Brick Lane area. The policy means that new licences are unlikely to be granted unless the applicant can show

that there are exceptional circumstances and that granting their application will not negatively add to the cumulative effect on the Licensing Objectives within the Brick Lane.

The Licensing Authority says that they

are concerned by the addition of another premises selling alcohol, potentially adding to the existing anti-social issues in the area in particular with allowing alcohol to be consumed in the street with a take away.

They go on to say that if the committee are minded to grant the licence, they should add a condition that would prevent the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

Mr Timothy Spanton, who lives above the restaurant, wrote that he already suffers

strong cooking smells throughout the day and late into the evening, and noise from thumping, loud music played until 9pm.

Another resident, Ms Mary Harty, wrote to complain about the existing behaviour of the business saying that since moving in Taco Taco have

broken many rules: leaving the kitchen door open, allowing noise and unpleasant smells out. Playing loud music. Leaving rubbish outside for long periods which could attract vermin.

A number of residents who live in the Cloisters, a block of flats near the restaurant, also submitted letters objecting to the application. Mr Francis Ross explained that the residents

already suffer from excess litter in the streets, outside the existing shops, unpleasant smells from the kitchens of the restaurants on the ground floor of the Cloisters block and increasing levels of noise from the pubs.

The Metropolitan Police have said that they have no objection to the application, as long as a number of conditions are added to the licence. These include requirements for CCTV, an incident log and the operation of a Challenge 25 policy.