The Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider two applications. The application for a new premises licence for Osteria Angelina at 1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard was granted. The application for a provisional statement for a new cafe at 5 Newfoundland Place on the Canary Wharf Estate was also granted.

Osteria Angelina, 1 Nicholl's Clarke Yard

This application was for a new premises licence for Osteria Angelina, a fine-dining restaurant with ancillary bar .

The application sought permission for:

• the sale of alcohol on and off the premises, Monday to Saturday 10am to 11pm, and Sunday 10am to 10pm.
• opening hours of 7am to 11.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and 7am to 10.30pm on Sunday.

The application received an objection from the Environmental Protection Team, on the grounds that the restaurant would be in the Brick Lane Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ)¹ and that the application omits noise mitigation measures, such as sound proving dispersal policies, and limits on external area use or patron numbers.

The applicant's agent, Mr Robert Sutherland, argued that the application did address the CIZ, that the development had been planned in consultation with residents, and that the premises would be well-managed and would not cause a nuisance. Mr Christopher Lloyd, a resident and Chair of SPIRE², spoke in support of the application, saying that residents had been involved in the planning process and that the conditions agreed with the applicant were acceptable.

Mr Onuoha Olere, an Environmental Protection Officer, argued that the conditions proposed in the application were very general and subjective and that the application did not adequately address the potential for public nuisance. He said that his line manager insisted that the Sub-Committee decide on the application.

Councillor Golds asked Mr Sutherland if the applicant would accept conditions prohibiting vertical drinking and the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises. Mr Sutherland agreed to both conditions.

Councillor Kabir also raised concerns about the number of patrons and the lack of outdoor space. Mr Sutherland said that the restaurant would have a booking system and that people would not all be arriving and leaving at the same time. He also said that there was a pedestrianised area near the restaurant where smokers could go.

The Sub-Committee decided to grant the application with the additional conditions proposed by Councillor Golds. The hours were amended to allow 30 minutes drinking-up time after the end of alcohol sales each day.

Vertus NFL Limited, 5 Newfoundland Place

This application was for a provisional statement³ for a new cafe at 5 Newfoundland Place, which forms part of the Newfoundland development by Canary Wharf Group plc, and is on the Canary Wharf Estate.

The application sought permission for:

• late-night refreshments, Monday to Thursday 11pm to 11:30pm, Friday and Saturday 11pm to midnight, and Sunday 11pm to 11:30pm
• the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, Monday to Thursday 7:30am to 11:30pm, Friday and Saturday 7:30am to midnight, and Sunday 9am to 11:30pm.
• opening hours of 7am to midnight, Monday to Thursday, 7am to 12:30am, Friday and Saturday, and 7am to midnight on Sunday.
• non-standard timings of midnight on Sundays before Bank Holidays, and for the delivery of hot food and non-alcoholic beverages between 11pm and 5am (delivery only, no public access).

The application received objections from four local residents: Dr Mina Bobdey, Dr Preeti Chhabra, Dr Saroj Chhabra, and Ms Jolie Gindi. The residents raised concerns about the potential for noise and disturbance from late-night activity, particularly the sale of alcohol and the delivery service.

Dr Bobdey's objection letter said:

The proposed extended alcohol sales hours, especially on Sundays, pose a risk of late-night noise and disturbances for residents in a residential building like Newfoundland Place... The late-night refreshment sales and delivery service until 5:00 a.m. raise concerns about noise from vehicles and staff activity, potentially disrupting residents’ peace.

Mr Alun Thomas, the applicant's agent, argued that the cafe was small, with a capacity of 20-30 people inside and 5-10 outside, and that the hours applied for were within the Council's framework hours. He said that the application was being made by the developer to provide certainty for potential tenants, and that a tenant would be required to apply for a full premises licence on the same terms.

Mr Thomas also highlighted the safeguarding measures in place at Canary Wharf, including 24-hour security and a control room. He noted that one of the objecting residents lived over 200 metres from the premises, and said that the likelihood of there being public nuisance cause would be much higher if they lived closer.

Mr Thomas said that conditions had been agreed with the Environmental Health Team to mitigate noise and disturbance, including a curfew on the use of the external seating area after 10:30pm (except for a maximum of five smokers at any one time) and a restriction on the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises to sealed containers.

Councillor Golds asked Mr Thomas if he would accept a condition prohibiting the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises altogether. Mr Thomas said that he could not accept this condition as the cafe was a delicatessen and would sell takeaway food and drinks, including bottles of wine.

Councillor Kabir asked about the possibility of reducing the hours and queried how the cafe would control people drinking outside the premises. Mr Thomas said that the hours were already within the framework hours and that the restaurant below had later hours. He explained that the conditions prohibited drinking outside the designated seating area.

The Sub-Committee decided to grant the application for a provisional statement.