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Licensing Sub-Committee - Tuesday 13 May 2025 7.00 pm

May 13, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Lambeth Council Licensing Sub-Committee convened to address two licensing matters: a new premises licence application for Eat The Sunshine. Down The Sun, and a review application for La Surena. The committee granted the licence for Eat The Sunshine. Down The Sun with additional conditions to address resident concerns, but revoked the licence for La Surena due to breaches of licensing objectives and a lack of confidence in the management.

La Surena Licence Revocation

The Licensing Sub-Committee decided to revoke the premises licence for La Surena at 30-30a Brixton Station Road. The review application 25/00072/PRMREV was submitted by Lambeth Licensing Authority, citing failures to uphold the licensing objectives related to crime prevention, disorder and public safety.

According to Nicole Terrieux, Regulatory Services Manager for Lambeth Council, the decision to revoke the licence was made due to a lack of confidence in the premises licence holder, Asabache Limited, to promote the licensing objectives. This lack of confidence stemmed from breaches of licence conditions and incidents that had occurred within a short timeframe since the licence was granted in November 2024.

The incidents that led to the review included:

  • An incident on 3 December 2024, where a male was found injured on Brixton Station Road, claiming he had been assaulted inside La Surena. CCTV footage revealed that the premises was operating beyond its permitted hours.
  • An altercation on 1 January 2025, involving two groups of males where knives were used. CCTV footage showed the venue was open until 5:40am, five hours after its permitted closing time.

PC Alan Bay of the Metropolitan Police supported the revocation, stating that there had been several serious incidents involving patrons of the venue, including a stabbing and fights. PC Bay also stated that the police had met with Isamar Diaz Alcantara, the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) before the licence was granted to ensure that she understood the licensing conditions.

Mr Jared Onyancha, representing Ms Diaz, explained that Ms Diaz's pregnancy and related health issues had prevented her from effectively managing the business. He stated that the company planned to appoint a new DPS and had implemented additional measures, including enhanced security and ID scanning machines. He also noted that the venue employed 11 local residents, and its closure would negatively impact those families.

Despite these assurances, the sub-committee was not convinced that the proposed changes would be implemented properly or that they would be sufficient to promote the licensing objectives. The committee noted that the premises licence was already heavily conditioned and that the operation of the premises outside of its permitted hours and the lack of sufficient management during incidents demonstrated a lack of commitment to the licensing objectives.

The Licensing Sub-Committee determined that revocation was the only appropriate and proportionate option, as less severe measures were unlikely to achieve the same objective.

Eat The Sunshine. Down The Sun Licence Grant

The Licensing Sub-Committee approved a new premises licence for Eat The Sunshine. Down The Sun at 303 Kennington Road, with conditions. The application 25/00041/PRMNEW sought permission to sell alcohol from 11:00 am to 10:30 pm.

Ms Nikki Wong and Ms Angela Wai Nok, directors of Drinkladiu LTD, the applicant, told the sub-committee that they intended to run a family-friendly café and community space, promoting alcohol-free and low-alcohol beverages. They addressed concerns raised by local residents, including Tim Garner and Oliver O'Rourke, by offering additional conditions to mitigate potential disturbances.

The additional conditions agreed upon were:

  • A direct telephone number for the manager to be publicly available for complaints, with a 48-hour resolution timeframe.
  • A designated smoking area at the front of the premises, limited to a maximum of three people.
  • All windows and external doors to be kept closed after 9:00 pm or during regulated entertainment[^1], except for access. [^1]: Regulated entertainment is a term used in the Licensing Act 2003 to describe certain activities that require a licence, such as live music, recorded music, and performances of dance.

The applicants also suggested a 'sunset clause', ensuring the licence would terminate if they no longer held a proprietary interest in the premises.

Residents Mr Garner and Mr O'Rourke raised concerns about potential noise, light pollution, parking issues, and the need for another licensed premises in the area. Mr Garner also expressed concern about the large windows at the back of the property overlooking the courtyard of the flats above.

Despite these concerns, the sub-committee was satisfied that granting the application would not undermine the licensing objectives, particularly with the additional conditions in place. Councillor Linda Bray was concerned about the large window at the back of the premises overlooking the courtyard garden, and the applicants agreed to install soundproof curtains. Councillor Olga Fitzroy asked about the types of events that would be held in the evening, and the applicants clarified that they would be community-focused and not always amplified music events.

The sub-committee determined that the additional conditions addressed the concerns raised and that the licence would allow the applicants to provide a valuable community space.

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor David Robson
Councillor David Robson  Chair of Licensing •  Labour •  Clapham Town
Profile image for Councillor Scott Ainslie
Councillor Scott Ainslie  Group Leader •  Green •  Streatham St Leonard's
Profile image for Councillor Linda Bray
Councillor Linda Bray  Chair of Pensions Board •  Labour •  Clapham Town
Profile image for Councillor Ben Curtis
Councillor Ben Curtis  Group Whip •  Liberal Democrats •  Clapham Common and Abbeville
Profile image for Councillor Ibrahim Dogus
Councillor Ibrahim Dogus  Labour •  Waterloo and South Bank
Profile image for Councillor John-Paul Ennis
Councillor John-Paul Ennis  Policy Lead for Young People •  Labour •  Brixton North
Profile image for Councillor Olga FitzRoy
Councillor Olga FitzRoy  Labour •  St Martin's
Profile image for Councillor Pauline George
Councillor Pauline George  Tackling Violence Affecting Young People Champion •  Labour •  Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction
Profile image for Councillor Martin Tiedemann
Councillor Martin Tiedemann  Labour •  Clapham Park
Profile image for Councillor Isla Wrathmell
Councillor Isla Wrathmell  Active Travel Champion •  Labour •  Vauxhall
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