The Licensing Sub-Committee C granted a variation to the premises licence for Santhiya Convenience Store, 9 Brewery Road, Plumstead, London SE18 7PS. The variation allows for extended hours for the off-sale of alcohol and the addition of late-night refreshment. The committee also approved a number of conditions to be attached to the licence to promote the licensing objectives.

Variation of Premises Licence for Santhiya Convenience Store

The committee considered an application to vary the premises licence for Santhiya Convenience Store, located at 9 Brewery Road, Plumstead, London SE18 7PS. The original licence permitted the off-sale and supply of alcohol daily between 9am and 10pm, with the premises open from 6am to 11pm.

The proposed variation sought to extend the hours for the off-sale and supply of alcohol daily until 1:30am. Additionally, it requested the addition of late-night refreshment, defined as the provision of hot food and/or hot drinks after 11pm, also until 1:30am. The proposed opening hours for the premises would align with these extended licensable activities.

Representations were received from Greenwich Police, RBG Public Health, and RBG Environmental Health. The police initially sought a number of conditions and proposed revised hours of 8am to 11pm for alcohol sales and 11pm to midnight for late-night refreshment. Public Health did not support the extended terminal hour for alcohol sales and proposed conditions aligning with the police's revised hours. Environmental Health proposed slightly different hours, with alcohol sales until 11pm on Sundays to Thursdays and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and late-night refreshment until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

During the hearing, the applicant's agent, Suresh Kanabadi, confirmed an agreement with the police for alcohol sales until midnight, with late-night refreshment until midnight. However, he later requested that the committee consider extending alcohol sales until 1am, citing competition from a newly licensed neighbouring premises. He also agreed to conditions proposed by Environmental Health regarding the strength of alcohol sold and the splitting of multipacks.

The committee deliberated on the application, taking into account the representations made and the licensing objectives. They noted that commercial considerations were not a factor in their decision. The committee ultimately resolved to grant the variation with amended hours and conditions.

The permitted licensable activities are now:

• Supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises: 8am – 11pm daily.
• Late Night Refreshment: 11pm – midnight, daily.

The premises licence will be subject to a comprehensive set of 26 conditions, including those related to CCTV, a 'Challenge 25' policy, an incident log, a refusals register, staff training, restrictions on high-strength alcohol (ABV 6.5% and above, with exceptions for agreed premium and craft beers), and measures to prevent litter and loitering. Existing conditions from Annex 2 of the premises licence were also amended or deleted as specified in the decision.

The basis for the decision highlighted that the committee disregarded commercial considerations and the availability of alcohol locally, as these are not licensing objectives. They gave due weight to the representations from the police and environmental health regarding the residential nature of the locality, the history of street drinking, and the potential increase in footfall. The committee found the proposed conditions, as agreed by the applicant, to be proportionate to promote the licensing objectives.

Any party aggrieved by this decision has the right to appeal to the magistrates' court within 21 days.

Other Matters

The committee also confirmed the minutes of previous meetings held on 3 January 2025 and 21 January 2025. Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dr Dominic Mbang. No urgent business was declared, and no personal interests were declared by the members of the subcommittee.