This Licensing Panel meeting had one substantive item on the agenda: an application for the variation of a Premises Licence in respect of Cineworld Cinema, Unity Square, Hounslow. The report pack contains the application, the existing Premises Licence, the Council's Licensing Policy and representations made by members of the public.

Application to vary the licence for Cineworld Cinema, Unity Square, Hounslow

Cineworld Holdings Limited, the Premises Licence holder, requested that the licence for the Cineworld Cinema at Unity Square in Hounslow be varied to allow:

1. Films and other regulated entertainment to be shown 24 hours a day.
2. The sale of late night refreshment from 23:00 to 05:00.
3. The sale of alcohol from 11:00 to 02:00.
4. The premises to be open to the public 24 hours a day.

Cineworld Holdings Limited also requested that a number of conditions be added to the licence to apply only when licensable activities are scheduled to finish after 02:30. These include a condition that

At least one SIA trained security officer will be on duty after 20:00 hours until closing, and further SIA trained staff will be deployed at the discretion of the DPS.

Seven representations were made by members of the public. Many of these came from residents of the High Street Quarter development, which is located close to the Cineworld Cinema. The representations included concerns that granting the application could lead to increased noise, anti-social behaviour and litter in the area.

One resident recounted an incident that had taken place at the cinema on 26 September 2024. They said that a large group of people had been aggressively chanting and setting off fireworks in the centre of the development, and that this had been frightening and had exposed our properties to a fire risk .

Another resident commented on Cineworld Holdings Limited's proposed conditions to mitigate the risks posed by the requested variations to the licence. They said that it remains to be seen how, logically, these mitigations can prevent the risks to public harm, nuisance, and enable prevention of crime/disorder where these conditions are not practically operable or enforceable .