Here's a summary of the Licensing Sub-Committee meeting held by Kingston upon Thames Council on 26 August 2025. The sub-committee considered an application for a new premises licence for The Aphrodite, and received representations from local residents. Ultimately, the sub-committee approved the recommendations for the licence.

New Premises Licence Application: The Aphrodite

The sub-committee reviewed an application for a new premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 for The Aphrodite, located at Town End Pier, 68 High Street, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 1HN. The applicant, Turk Launches Limited, sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises from 12:00 to 22:00, Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 to 21:00 on Sundays.

The committee report new application The Aphrodite outlined the application details, including the proposed hours of operation and conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule. The application form and site plan were also included for review.

Representations Received

Four valid representations were received from other persons ¹ regarding the application. These representations raised concerns related to:

• Prevention of Crime and Disorder: Ensuring the premises do not contribute to increased crime in the area.
• Public Safety: Addressing safety concerns related to intoxicated patrons and the proximity to the river.
• Prevention of Public Nuisance: Mitigating potential noise, light pollution, and anti-social behaviour affecting nearby residents.

Copies of the representations from other persons were provided to the sub-committee and the applicant.

One representation stated:

I hereby object to the grant of a Premises Licence for the Turks property Aphrodite on the grounds of Public Nuisance. There are many residential properties directly adjacent to the Aphrodite (e.g. The Anglers, The Wight House, South Lane, Kensington Gardens, Portsmouth Road, Barge Walk) which would be adversely impacted by excessive noise from the premises, by light pollution and anti-social behaviour from patrons, and by noise from outdoor seating areas. Furthermore, the tranquillity of the river and tow path (on both sides of the river) would be adversely impacted in the same way. The river is a unique public amenity and its further colonization by commercial enterprises for their own profit, at the expense of the public, must not be permitted.

Another representation highlighted concerns about noise and disturbance, particularly from off-premises sales:

Although the judicious enjoyment of alcohol need not lead to loud and boorish behaviour, as we all know, it often does, and we can expect to experience a very considerable increase in noise from such a venue. Most strongly, however, we object to the prospect of off-premises sales ; something totally unnecessary as there are already more than enough points of sale in the area

One representation stated they had no objection to the granting of the license in principle but raised the issues of noise, drunk patrons and safety.

Licensing Objectives and Hours

The sub-committee considered the application in accordance with the Secretary of State's Guidance and the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, giving equal importance to the four licensing objectives:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

The Council's Statement of Licensing Policy favours applications with opening and closing times that align with its guidelines. However, each application is assessed individually.

Decision and Conditions

The sub-committee resolved to approve the recommendations, meaning that the licence for The Aphrodite was granted. The licence is subject to mandatory conditions outlined in the Licensing Act 2003, as well as conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule. These conditions cover areas such as:

• Ensuring substantial food and non-alcoholic beverages are available.
• Restricting off-sales of alcohol to specific areas on the main deck.
• Installing and maintaining a comprehensive CCTV system.
• Keeping an incident log to record crimes, ejections, complaints, and other relevant events.
• Displaying notices requesting patrons to respect local residents and leave quietly.
• Managing waste and recyclable materials to avoid disturbance.
• Operating a Challenge 25 ² proof-of-age scheme.