This meeting of Camden Council's Licensing Panel D was scheduled to discuss applications for new and varied premises licences for two businesses in Bloomsbury ward. One of these, Pastino, was applying for a new licence to sell alcohol both on and off the premises at 92 Tottenham Court Road, and had received a representation from the Charlotte Street Association¹ objecting to this on the grounds of public nuisance. The other, Officina 00 at 67 Whitfield Street, was seeking permission to vary their existing licence to include an outdoor seating area. Their application had received representations from two residents objecting to this also on the grounds of public nuisance.

Officina 00, 67 Whitfield Street

This application from Officina 00 sought to vary its existing licence to include an outdoor seating area at the front and rear of the premises and to amend some of the conditions of their existing licence. The restaurant's application had received two representations from neighbours who were concerned about noise from diners at the rear of the premises, which backs onto Chitty Street, a primarily residential street.

One of the residents, Mr Rob Gunns, queried how the outdoor area would be used and what the licensing implications of this would be. He asked:

will the sliding doors be closed throughout opening hours? Or will they be open and invalidate the restaurant’s own Noise Impact Report?

Mr Gunns' representation also queried the meaning of one of the new conditions the restaurant was seeking to add to its licence, stating that:

Secondly, ‘must be closed…save for entry and egress to the premises’ has very little meaning.

The representation from the Charlotte Street Association noted that planning permission for the rear outside area was only temporary and was due to expire in April 2025. It also queried whether the conditions of the existing licence that state that alcohol can only be served to people eating a meal would apply to the outdoor areas.

The application also sought to extend the opening hours of the premises on Mondays to Fridays from 10pm to 11pm.

Pastino, 92 Tottenham Court Road

Pastino was seeking a new licence to sell alcohol on and off the premises from 11am to 10pm, seven days a week. The restaurant's application had received a representation from the Charlotte Street Association. The representation suggested a number of conditions to be added to the licence if it were to be approved, including a condition:

The supply of alcohol on the premises shall only be to customers seated taking a table meal there, and for consumption by such persons as ancillary to their meal.

It also requested a condition that there be:

no vertical drinking

The representation noted that the area was already densely populated with licensed premises. It expressed particular concern about off-sales of alcohol because:

Tottenham Court Road is a high crime area, with incidents of alcohol-related crime.

The representation requested clarity on how the restaurant planned to manage the collection of takeaway food by couriers. It also suggested that the restaurant adopt the 'Ask for Angela' scheme² that seeks to make bars and restaurants safer for women.