The Licensing Sub-Committee is scheduled to consider an application to vary the premises licence of a shop in Peckham. The Police are scheduled to object to the application.

Vaalee

The meeting report pack contains a report that asks the Sub-Committee to consider an application to vary the premises licence of Vaalee, a shop at 66 Peckham High Street, London SE15 5DP.

The applicant, Siva Lingham Samy Kannu, is seeking permission to:

• Extend the shop's opening hours from 23:00 to 03:00 the following morning, every day.
• Extend the shop's current licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises from 23:00 to 03:00 the following morning, every day.
• Remove the licence's existing restrictions on the sale of single cans of beer and cider, and spirits smaller than 100ml.
• Change the licence's existing restriction on the sale of beers and ciders stronger than 6.5% ABV. The applicant wants to continue to prevent the sale of what the report refers to as super strength beers, lagers and ciders, but to permit the sale of stronger drinks in certain circumstances:

This restriction shall not apply in respect of the specialist branded, premium priced, products - for example craft ales, local or micro-brewery specialist products, boxed gifts or national celebratory/commemorative beer, lager or cider with an alcohol content of 6.5% ABV or greater.

The report notes that the premises is in an area designated as a cumulative impact area by the Council, which means that:

there will be no presumption in favour of lengthening licensing hours

The report pack includes a representation from PC Walter Minka Agyeman of the Metropolitan Police Service objecting to the application. PC Agyeman writes that:

The premises is in an area which is already heavily saturated with licensed premises which supply alcohol. There is no necessity for there to be a further premises that would be providing the same service at a time beyond those recommended within the statement of licensing. There is a history of street drinking in the area, which requires an increased police presence to the area due to the increase in crime and disorder, related to alcohol.

The report notes that because of the Police objection, the Sub-Committee must hold a hearing to decide the application at the meeting.