This Licensing Sub-Committee meeting is scheduled to consider applications for variations to the licences of two premises in Westminster. The most significant item for discussion is an application by the Radisson Edwardian, The Mayfair Hotel, which is the subject of several objections from local residents. There is also to be consideration of a licence variation for the Phoenix pub in Mayfair.

Radisson Edwardian, The Mayfair Hotel, 17 Stratton Street

London Mayfair Hotel Limited has applied to vary the Premises Licence of the Radisson Edwardian, The Mayfair Hotel on Stratton Street. The variation seeks to:

• Allow the hotel to serve non-residents until 02:00.
• Remove condition 51 from the licence, which prevents people from entering or leaving via the Berkeley Street entrance after 23:00.
• Amend condition 53 to prevent admittance or re-admittance to the premises after 00:30, except for residents, their guests and smokers.
• Amend condition 56 to require the premises to operate the Challenge 25 proof-of-age scheme instead of Challenge 21.
• Add five new conditions, including:
  • Requirements for SIA licensed door supervisors to wear high-visibility clothing and be equipped with body-worn video cameras.
  • A requirement for staff to receive counter-terrorism training.
  • Conditions relating to waste disposal and management of queues.

The application attracted an objection from Ayesha Bolton, representing the Environmental Health Service. Ms Bolton's representation is based on the submitted floor plans and states that the changes:

may have the likely effect of causing an increase in Public Nuisance in the area and may also impact on Public Safety.

The application has also received six objections from other people, including the Residents Society of Mayfair and St James's. One objector said that the Berkeley Street entrance had caused a:

huge problem with noise late [sic] affecting the neighborhood

Another commented that Berkeley Street:

is saturated and we have enough problem ( noise, illegal parking, high performance cars etc ) with other establishments with similar businesses on Berkeley Street day and night.

Phoenix, 37 Cavendish Square

Mitchells & Butlers Leisure Retail Ltd have applied to vary the licence of the Phoenix pub on Cavendish Square. The application seeks to:

• Extend the terminal hour for the sale of alcohol on the basement floor on Thursdays to 02:00 the following morning.
• Extend the terminal hours for the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment on the ground floor on Thursday to Saturday to 02:00 the following morning.
• Extend the terminal hour for the opening of the ground floor on Thursday to Saturday to 03:00 the following morning.
• Amend the non-standard timings for New Year's Eve into New Year's Day and to extend opening by an additional hour on the day British Summer Time commences.
• Add and remove conditions attached to the Premises Licence.

The application attracted an objection from the Marylebone Association. The association's representation states that the changes are likely to harm the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of public nuisance and the prevention of crime and disorder.

The existing late licence is confined to the basement premises. In contrast, the ground floor pub closes much earlier. By bringing the ground floor’s in line with the basement’s late licence is likely to entice additional people into the premises and area late and night and therefore increasing the issues outlined above.

The application also received an objection from a local resident, which was subsequently withdrawn after a meeting with the applicant.

Anil Drayan, representing the Environmental Health Service, made a representation on the application. Mr Drayan noted that there have been no adverse service requests relating to the Phoenix since 2005 and stated that the variation:

may not adversely impact on the licensing objectives if sufficient and appropriate conditions have been submitted with the proposal.