The Sutton Council Licensing Sub-Committee met on 7 July 2025 to discuss licensing procedures and a new premises licence application. The application was for a new licence for Popeyes, 137-143 High Street, Sutton, SM1 1JH, and would allow the provision of late night refreshment. Councillors were also scheduled to review the Licensing Sub-Committee's hearings procedure.

Here's a breakdown of the key items from the agenda:

Licence Application: Popeyes, 137-143 High Street, Sutton

The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Popeyes, a restaurant located at 137-143 High Street, Sutton. The applicant, PLK Chicken UK Limited, sought permission to provide late night refreshment (indoors and outdoors) from 23:00 to 03:00, Monday to Sunday. The report pack indicated that the premises would close to the public at 01:00 each day, with late night refreshment continuing via delivery service only between 01:00 and 03:00.

According to the report pack, the council received a representation from the Metropolitan Police concerning the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. A representation was also received from the Council's Environmental Health (Pollution Control) Lead Officer regarding the prevention of public nuisance. The report pack stated that the applicant had addressed the concerns of the Metropolitan Police by amending their operating schedule, leading to the withdrawal of the police representation. However, the Environmental Health Officer's concerns remained.

The report pack included several appendices relevant to the application:

• The application form itself (Appendix 1)
• The proposed hours of operation (Appendix 2)
• Conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule (Appendix 3)
• The representation from the responsible authority (Appendix 4)
• A location plan (Appendix 5)
• Photographs of the location (Appendix 6)
• Excerpts from the Secretary of State's Guidance and Sutton's Statement of Licensing Policy (Appendix 7)

The Licensing Sub-Committee was asked to consider the application, taking into account the representations received and any evidence presented at the hearing. The report pack outlined several options for the sub-committee:

• Grant the application as requested.
• Grant the application subject to conditions for the promotion of the licensing objectives¹.
• Exclude any of the licensable activities from the scope of the licence.
• Reject the application.

In making their decision in respect of the application, the Sub-Committee must have regard to Statutory Guidance and the Councils' own Statement of Licensing Policy as well as to the representations made and the evidence heard. However, the Sub-Committee must disregard any representations that do not relate to the promotion of the licensing objectives.

AA Committee Report - Popeyes

Licensing Sub-Committee - Hearings Procedure

The Licensing Sub-Committee was also scheduled to review its hearings procedure, which outlines how the committee manages its business in an efficient, fair, and transparent way, specifically for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003. The procedure note explains how licensing applications are dealt with, either by a Licensing Sub-Committee or by licensing officers within the delegations of the Licensing Committee. It also details how representations are handled, including the process for submitting them, the criteria for their validity, and the actions taken when representations are received.

The procedure also covers notices to be served by parties to the hearing, extensions of time limits, dispensing with hearings, petitions, and other relevant information. It also specifies the requirements for committee members, including training and declaring any interests. The document outlines the organisation of hearings, including the order of business, the organisation of the room (if in-person), and the hearing procedure itself. It details the roles of the chair, officers, applicant, responsible authority, and other persons, as well as the process for questions, closing statements, making decisions, and reporting the decision. The procedure also addresses failure to attend, making the decision, notification of the decision, right to appeal, and minutes of the meeting.