The Licensing Committee for Bexley Council was scheduled to meet on 15 July 2025 to discuss several licensing-related matters. These included a review of the council's statement of licensing policy, updates on licensing enforcement, and licences determined under delegated powers.

Statement of Licensing Policy

The committee was scheduled to consider the council's statement of licensing policy for the five-year period from 7 January 2026 to 6 January 2031. The Licensing Act 2003 requires the council to prepare and publish a statement of licensing policy regarding its functions under the act.

The committee was asked to agree to the proposed statement of licensing policy, attached as an appendix to the report, and to recommend that the council adopt the proposed statement with effect from 7 January 2026.

According to the report pack, the only comments received during the consultation period were internal, from:

• Sharon Bamborough, Head of Licensing Partnership
• Samantha Laing, Principal Licensing Officer
• Geraldine Eley, Licensing Enforcement Officer
• Guy Atkins, Legal Advisor
• Mobola Jaiyesimi, Interim Public Health Strategist

The report pack stated that their suggestions had been incorporated into the draft policy and highlighted in yellow.

The report pack noted that last year an exercise commenced to gather 'relevant' evidence so as to establish if:

• the saturation policies in respect of Bexleyheath, Welling and Bexley Village remain necessary; and
• any other areas of the Borough are subject to 'cumulative impact'.

The report pack stated that this exercise was completed in June 2024 and was the subject of a separate report to the Committee in June 2024, and that the report recommended that the saturation policies in respect of Bexleyheath and Welling Town Centres were retained, and that no other areas of the Borough are identified as being subject to cumulative impact.

The report pack included a copy of the proposed statement of licensing policy for the five-year period expiring 6 January 2031 as Appendix A.

The statement of licensing policy included sections on:

• licensing principles
• licensing objectives
  • preventing crime and disorder
  • public safety
  • preventing public nuisance
  • protecting children from harm
• conditions
• cumulative impact and saturation policies
• licensing hours
• outdoor events
• inspection, enforcement and review of licences
• early morning restriction orders
• integration of the licensing policy with other related council strategies
  • community safety
  • planning and building control
  • regeneration and economic development
  • transport
  • tourism and employment
  • culture
  • public health
• other key considerations
  • promotion of equality
  • human rights
  • sustainability
• administration and standards of service delivery
• further information and useful contacts

Licensing Enforcement Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on recent enforcement activity. The Council's Licensing Enforcement Officer indicated that she had nothing to report on this occasion.

In relation to Trading Standards, activity within the various service areas was set out in the report pack:

• Alcohol: No reports of underage sales were received in this time period, so no proactive action was deemed necessary. The team continue to monitor premises to ensure they are complying with their licence conditions. Following a closure notice being issued (due to criminal activity) a licence review was undertaken on 10 June 2025. The Licensing Committee upheld the review and removed the premises alcohol licence.
• Fireworks: Nothing to report
• Animals: Nothing to report.
• Special Treatments: Visits and licensing of special treatment premises have continued, as well as encouraging any unlicenced premises to comply with the law. A test purchasing exercise is planned for sunbed shops in the near future.
• Scrap Metal: A lot of renewals are expected to come in over the next few months and the premises will be visited to ensure compliance.
• Future licensing trends – Vapes and Tobacco: Single use vapes were banned on the 01/06/25. Visits and enforcement action will be undertaken to ensure that premises are complying.
• Closure Orders: Five closure notices were issued to five premises in Bexley for the sale of Illicit or counterfeit tobacco – A closure order is a court issued sanction against premises that are carry out criminal activity and it requires them to close for three months and face criminal action if they breach the order. Four closure order were approved by the court; the other premises signed a legal undertaking not to sell cigarettes or engage in criminal activity. Subsequent to the closure orders two of the premises were served with eviction notices by the landlords.

Licences Determined Under Delegated Powers

The committee was scheduled to receive a report summarising the licences granted under the Licensing Act 2003 by the Deputy Director, Strategic Planning & Housing under delegated powers from 1 March 2025 to 30 June 2025, together with an update on any appeal activity. The report also provided details of any decisions taken under delegated powers to refuse an application made, or revoke a licence issued, under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 during the same timeframe.

The report pack stated that there had been eight new premises licences applications granted under delegated powers from 1st March 2025 to 30th June 2025:

• Cheshire Food Festival Limited for Danson Park, Danson Road Bexleyheath Bexley DA6 8HL, for an open air food festival event 1 weekend per year - sale of alcohol & entertainment 09:30-21:00 each day.
• Mr Thiyagarajah Nagatheepan for Morleys Fried Chicken, 122 Erith Road Bexleyheath Bexley DA7 6BU, for a new take-away Late Night Refreshment: 23:00 – 02:00 Mon-Sat.
• Nyn Food Services Limited for Royal Steak House, 118 - 120 Bellegrove Road Welling Bexley DA16 3QR, for a restaurant – sale of alcohol 12-22:30 Sunday Saturday 23:00 – 00:00 Sun.
• Golden J Service Limited for Pho 102, 102 Station Road Sidcup Bexley DA15 7DE, for a restaurant – sale of alcohol: 12:00-22:30 Mon Thurs, 12:00-23:30 Fri Sat, 11:00-22:30 Sun Late night refreshment: 23:00- 00:00 Sat.
• Mrs Jacqueline Langley for The Banana Garden, 17 The Oval Sidcup Bexley DA15 9ER, for a café on and off sale of alcohol: 08:00 -19:00 every day.
• R Square Retails Limited for Wine Tavern, 40 Falconwood Parade Welling Kent DA16 2PG, for an off licence & convenience store Sale of Alcohol 08:00-23:00 Mon sat 10:00-22.30 Sun.
• PSRR Business Limited for Wraps & Wings, 3 Central Avenue Welling Bexley DA16 3AX, for take away/delivery – Late Night Refreshment delivery only 23:00-03:00 Fri Sat. 23:00-01:00 Sun.
• Nyn Food Services Limited for Mirin Wine, 118 - 120 Bellegrove Road Welling Bexley DA16 3QR, for the sale of alcohol including Mirin wine – 09:00-20:00 every day.

The report pack stated that there had been one full variation granted under delegated authority in the period 1st March 2025 to 30th June 2025:

• Mr Sivapathasundaram Premananthan for Nisa Local, 323 - 325 Broadway Bexleyheath Bexley DA6 8DT, for a variation to conditions relating to CCTV.

The report pack stated that there had been nine minor variations received and determined within the period 1st March 2025 to 30th June 2025:

• Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited for Morrisons, 71-79 Welling High Street Welling Kent DA16 1TU, for a change of layout.
• Mrs Nathasubyna Rajasuthan for Pay Less Off Licence, 259 Upper Wickham Lane Welling Kent DA16 3AP, for changes to conditions relating to the location of alcoholic beverages, signage, and participation in local police or voluntary schemes.
• Mr Sadagoban Jeyakumar for Bexley Express, 50-52 Bexley High Street Bexley Kent DA5 1AH, for a change of layout plus extend morning opening hours from 08.30 to 06:00.
• Mr Rajadurai Sasikaran for Maidstone Convenience Store, 75 Maidstone Road Sidcup Kent DA14 5HU, for a change of layout.
• Falconwood Supermarket Limited for Falconwood Supermarket, 15 Lingfield Crescent London SE9 2RL, for a change of layout.
• WM Morrison Supermarkets Limited for Morrisons, James Watt Way Erith Bexley DA8 2AH, for a change of layout.
• Mr Onder Selvi for Nazar Kitchen Bar, 35 The Oval Sidcup Kent DA15 9El, for a change of layout.
• Mrs Nathasubyna Rajasuthan for Pay Less Off Licence, 273 Broadway Bexleyheath Bexley DA6 8DG, for a change of layout.
• Marston's PLC for The Morgan, Clydesdale Way Belvedere Kent DA17 6FD, for a change of layout.

The report pack stated that twenty-eight applications had been granted under delegated powers to vary a premises licence to change the name of a designated premises supervisor on an existing licence, and that eighteen applications to transfer a licence had been granted under delegated powers.

The report pack stated that there were two related appeals re: Arcadia Lounge Bar and Club, 247 Broadway, Bexleyheath which were to be heard at the same time on 12 and 13 June 2025 at the Bromley Magistrates' Court, but these appeals were dismissed on 6 June 2025 after the appellant indicated he no longer wished to pursue them.

The report pack stated that the Deputy Director, Strategic Planning & Housing had not revoked any Licences issued, or refused any applications made, under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 from 1st March 2025 to 30th June 2025.

Other Items

The agenda also included items on:

• Apologies for Absence and Substitute Members
• Minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2025
• Declarations of Interests and Dispensations
• Items of Late Business
• Approved Minutes of the Licensing Sub-Committee
  • The minutes of the following Licensing Sub-Committee hearings have been approved and signed off since the Licensing Committee last met:
    • 11 February 2025: Greek Meze 2, 299 Main Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 6QL - Review of the Premises Licence - Decision: Licence suspended for 4 weeks and additional conditions imposed.
    • 8 May 2025: Nocturnal Elfs, Rear of 158C Mayplace Road East, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 6EJ - Application for the grant of a Premises Licence - Decision: Granted, subject to conditions.
  • One further hearing of the Licensing Sub-Committee has been held, and the minutes are awaiting sign-off at a subsequent hearing:
    • A review of the Premises Licence (following a Closure Order) in respect of the premises known as Sveiki, 18 Gilbert Road, Belvedere, Kent DA17 5DA.