The Licensing Sub-Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 5 June 2025 to consider applications for premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003. The committee, consisting of Councillor Renata Hamvas, Councillor Ellie Cumbo, and Councillor Dora Dixon-Fyle MBE, will review applications for Popeye's at 234-236 Walworth Road and Kent Restaurant and Lounge at 516 Old Kent Road. The sub-committee will determine the applications based on the licensing objectives, representations received, and the council's licensing policy.

Licensing Act 2003: Kent Restaurant and Lounge - First Floor, 516 Old Kent Road, London, SE1 5BA

The sub-committee will consider an application made by Kent Restaurant and Lounge Limited, for a premises licence at 516 Old Kent Road.

According to the report pack, Mr Eric Doe, Erisa Opoku and Audrey Straker are directors of Kent Restaurant and Lounge Limited.

The hours applied for include:

• Plays, films, indoor sporting events, recorded music and performances of dance (indoors): Sunday to Wednesday 07:00 - 02:00, Thursday to Saturday 07:00 - 03:30
• Live music (indoors): Sunday to Wednesday 07:00 - 01:00, Thursday to Saturday 07:00 - 03:30
• Late-night refreshment (indoors and outdoors): Sunday to Wednesday 23:00 - 02:00, Thursday to Saturday 23:00 - 03:30
• Sale by retail of alcohol (on and off sales): Sunday to Wednesday 07:00 - 01:30, Thursday to Saturday 07:00 - 03:00
• Opening Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 07:00 - 02:00, Thursday to Saturday 07:00 - 03:30

The report pack states that the application also includes non-standard hours for opening hours and licensable activities, including:

An extra hour added to the terminal hours on the morning that Greenwich meantime changes to British Summer time.

When Monday follows a Bank holiday Sunday to remain open until 03.00AM. When a Bank holiday weekend Friday and Saturday to remain open for one additional hour.

Mourn day Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, May Day, St Patrick's Day, St David's Day, St George's Day, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, Windrush Day, Gay Pride, Day, 4th July, (Jamaica, St Lucia, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast & Sierra Leone Independence Days) to remain open for one additional hour.

The provision of licensable activities from the start of the permitted hours on New Year's Eve until the end of the permitted hours on New Year's Day.

The premises are described in the application as:

KENT RESTAURANT & LOUNGE IS A WINE BAR & RESTAURANT LOCATED ON THE 1ST FLOOR 516 OLD KENT ROAD SE1 5BA THE PREMISES HAS A COURTYARD LEADING TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE RESTAURANT. THE ENTRANCE TO THE RESTAURANT IS LOCATED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, THE RESTAURANT HAS A OUTSIDE EATING AREA AS WELL AS A SMOKING BALCONY AND EMERGENCY (METAL STAIRCASE) FIRE EXIT LEADING OUTSIDE TO THE COURTYARD. ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ENTRANCE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS IS THE LOUNGE WITH ADDITIONAL SEATING AND BAR TO ACCOMMODATE LARGE BOOKINGS FOR THE RESTAURANT THIS IS A SPACIOUS AREA USED FOR PRIVATE HIRE FOR ALL CORPORATE AND PRIVATE FUNCTIONS ON A PRE-BOOKED BASIS INLINE WITH OUR PRIVATE HIRE POLICIES. THERE ARE TWO (2) DESIGNATED FEMALE AND MALE TOILETS WITH AN ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY (METAL STAIRCASE) FIRE EXIT DOOR LEADING FROM THE LOUNGE TO THE COURTYARD.

WE WILL HOST LIVE STAND UP COMEDY EVENTS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS

Film clubs, network meetings and small seminars and training.

We will be hosting weekly Domino games for our mainly elderly local (Bradfields Domino Club) Caribbean community, they generally come together every Wednesday, Friday & occasional Saturday's when there's a home match.

This club has played other Domino teams from all over the country & have been in the summer league for over 20 years & more recently in the Winter Domino league.

The game is open to everyone within the community who wish to socialise, learn & play this game of skill, the gathering of the elderly will be a permanent fixture within Southwark @ The Kent Restaurant & Lounge & will allow them to socialise with like minded people who do not have a warm and friendly environment to do this in.

To summarise a weekly Domino club can provide emotional, cognitive & social benefits, enriching the lives of elderly participants in meaningful ways.

We may have occasional live music that may or may not be amplified on occasions when the premises may be used for private functions, it is not proposed that this will be a frequent occurrence.

Amplified music shall take place on the premises levels will be set and agreed by local authority.

To provide recorded music during normal business or as part of any functions that are booked by customers.

We will have space for dancing for customers who wish to dance as well as for events that we may put on from time to time.

Hot food & snacks will be readily available as late night refreshment, both on & off the premises, we have seated areas indoors as well as outdoors, this is not visible from the street and is situated within our boundary.

The Kitchen will close 30 mins for cleaning prior to closing time.

Gilbert Lue-Kong is the proposed designated premises supervisor.

Representations have been made by the Metropolitan Police Service, Southwark Council’s Environmental Protection Team, the council’s Licensing Unit and the council’s trading standards service. Fifteen representations have been submitted by other persons, fourteen objecting and one supporting the application.

The police representation states that the proposed operating hours exceed those recommended in the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy for licensed premises located in residential areas, and that the control measures are not sufficiently robust. The police also raise concerns about Mr Eric Doe's history as a licence holder.

The applicant for this licence is KENT RESTAURANT & LOUNGE LTD to which Mr Eric Doe is a director. Mr Doe was not only the previous licence holder for this venue but also for the ground floor venue which had its licence reviewed on more than one occasion in which the first occasion the sub-committee imposed additional measures on the licence to which under Mr Doe’s ownership the venue continued to breach until in 2024 a further serious incident occurred and the venue was taken to review and the licence revoked. Police have no faith in Mr Doe to own or operate any licensed premises as he has clearly shown a disregard to not only all the licensing objectives but also the licensing sub-committee decisions.

The Environmental Protection Team also notes that the proposed operating hours exceed those recommended in the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy for licensed premises located in residential areas, and that local residents are likely to be adversely affected by noise.

The Licensing Unit also notes that the proposed operating hours exceed those recommended in the council’s Statement of Licensing Policy for licensed premises located in residential areas, and raises concerns about Mr Doe's history of non-compliance.

The trading standards service requested additional control measures to be included in the application, which the applicant agreed to, and the trading standards service subsequently withdrew their representation.

Fourteen representations from other persons object to the application, raising concerns about:

• A history of crime and antisocial behaviour at the premises
• Unsociable timings inconsistent with a residential area
• Night clubs operating here are inconsistent with Southwark Council’s own plans and regulations for the area
• Noise levels inappropriate for a venue directly opposite a residential home for old and vulnerable people
• Concerns over director and history of management

One representation from another person supports the application.

The report pack notes that the premises had previously operated as a pub function room, bar and nightclub for many years, and that a premises licence issued on 05 September 2012 was revoked by the licensing sub-committee at a licence review hearing on 12 May 2020.

Licensing Act 2003: Popeyes, 234-236 Walworth Road, London SE17 1JD

The sub-committee will also consider an application from PLK Chicken UK Limited for a premises licence for Popeyes at 234-236 Walworth Road.

The hours applied for are:

• Late night refreshment (both indoors and outdoors): Sunday to Thursday 23:00 to 01:00, Friday and Saturday 23:00 to 02:00
• Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday 07:00 to 01:00, Friday and Saturday 07:00 to 02:00

The premises are described in the application as:

https://popeyesuk.com/our-story

See above. Popeyes is a Louisiana chicken restaurant serving nationwide in the UK. Popeyes DOES NOT SERVE ALCOHOL. This application is for the supply of hot food and drink only (Late Night Refreshment “LNR”) Popeyes has approximately 80 units in all parts of the UK.

The application is for late night refreshment only, so no designated premises supervisor is required.

The Metropolitan Police initially submitted a representation asking for additional conditions, but this was withdrawn after the applicant agreed to the conditions. These include restricted access to the premises for deliveries only after midnight Sunday to Thursday and 01:00hrs Friday and Saturday.

A representation has been submitted by five other persons, raising concerns about antisocial behaviour resulting from existing late night refreshment premises, and that granting this licence will exacerbate that.

The premises has not been licensed previously.