The Kingston upon Thames Council Licensing Sub-Committee convened to reconsider a licensing application from Seventa Events Limited for All Saints Church Lawns. The committee had previously adjourned a hearing on the application to request more information. Following the provision of additional details, the committee decided to grant the license with conditions.

All Saints Church Lawns Licensing Application

The committee granted a new premises licence to Seventa Events Limited for All Saints Church Lawns, Market Place, Kingston, KT1 1JP, to be used seasonally from 1 November to 31 January each year. The license permits:

• Films every day from 10:00 to 22:00
• Live music every day from 10:00 to 22:30 (both indoor and outdoor)
• Recorded music every day from 10:00 to 22:30 (both indoor and outdoor)
• Supply of alcohol every day from 10:00 to 23:00 (both on and off the premises)

The licensing officer, Hannah Smith, explained that the initial hearing on 20 May 2025 had been adjourned to allow the applicant to provide more information about the event. This additional information was provided in a new annex, numbered 8, to the Public Reports Pack.

Brendan Herbert, the solicitor for Seventa Events Limited, summarised the new information, which included a detailed summary of the event concept, photographs from similar events, and a detailed layout of the event with a CAD 3D model of the site.

Councillor Olly Wehring, Chair of the Kingston and North Kingston Neighbourhood Committee, noted that the additional information addressed the committee's concerns from the initial hearing. Councillor Jackie Davies echoed this sentiment, noting that the extra information gave a much better idea of where the bars are and how everything's stored.

Objections

The report noted that representations from responsible authorities¹ were withdrawn following mediation, and one valid representation was received from other persons.

Brendan Herbert addressed the representation from a member of the public, stating:

the committee will recall the comments I made from that last time, it does seem to me to be rather ill-conceived, particularly as it refers to concerns about the events taking place in summer months and the noise which will emanate there. And, of course, this is an event which is from November to January, so I think whilst we naturally appreciate there might be some concerns from noise arising out of events of an outdoor nature, I think that the individual who's made that representation really has failed to really drill down into the detail.

The representations from other persons included concerns about noise nuisance and antisocial behaviour, particularly during warmer months when windows are open. The resident also raised concerns about increased foot traffic, alcohol consumption, and congregation of people in outdoor areas, potentially leading to antisocial behaviour such as shouting, littering, or minor vandalism.

Conditions

The committee granted the license subject to conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule, including:

• An internal and external CCTV system to cover the main service points of the bar areas.
• Security Industry Authority (SIA) personnel to be present at all times alcohol is served.
• A logbook to record all bar refusals and event security incidents.
• No glass to be used at the event, with beer and cider served in paper or recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET) cups, spirits in rPET cups, and wine in polycarbonate wine cups.
• Staff to follow a waste disposal plan to ensure waste is removed regularly and responsibly.
• Access to the site music controls to be made available to an authorised local authority officer for sound level measurements.
• Clear signage to be placed near exits asking customers to leave quietly and respect the local neighbourhood.
• Security staff to monitor customers leaving the premises and encourage them to disperse quietly.
• An Event Safety Management Document to be completed for each event held under the license.
• A fully stocked first aid kit to be kept onsite, with at least one member of staff trained in first aid present during operating hours.
• Implementation of the Challenge 25 policy², with evidence of age requested from anyone appearing under 25.
• Maintenance of a refusals book to record every instance that sales of alcohol are refused.
• All staff to be trained before being allowed to sell alcohol, covering Challenge 25, conflict management, intoxicated customers, safety training, and evacuation routes.

The minutes record that the Licensing Sub-Committee considered the measures in place to promote the Licensing Objectives as well as the detailed plan and information provided by the Applicant. They were satisfied that the Applicant would uphold the Licensing Objectives and that the conditions in place would address any concerns.