The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider a review of the premises licence for Garip's Superstore LTD, trading as Costcutter, located at 14-20 Farr Avenue, Barking, Essex. This review was initiated by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Alcohol Licensing Team and supported by representations from the Metropolitan Police.

Review of Premises Licence for Garip's Superstore LTD (Costcutter)

The primary item scheduled for discussion was a review of the premises licence for Garip's Superstore LTD, trading as Costcutter, in the Thames View ward. The review application was submitted by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Alcohol Licensing Team, citing concerns related to the licensing objective of the prevention of crime and disorder.

The report pack indicated that the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team had grounds to believe that the licence holder had failed to uphold this licensing objective due to the identification of illegal working at the premises. This review application is supported by representations from the Metropolitan Police, also under the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

The report detailed the procedure for reviewing a licence under the Licensing Act 2003, which involves presentations from the applicant, the respondent, and any other parties who have made valid representations. The Sub-Committee was to consider the report and appendices, which included the review application from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement, representations from the Metropolitan Police, and a copy of the premises licence itself.

The report outlined the potential options available to the Sub-Committee, which included modifying the conditions of the premises licence, excluding a licensable activity, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence for up to three months, or revoking the licence entirely. The report stressed that any remedial action taken should be proportionate to the concerns raised and directed at the causes identified.

The report pack also included detailed information from an enforcement visit on 10 October 2024, which led to the discovery of three illegal workers at the premises. This resulted in a civil penalty of £40,000 being issued to the business, with a reduced amount of £28,000 paid. The report highlighted several breaches of the premises licence conditions identified during this visit, including obstructions to fire exits, a lack of staff training logs, missing notices requesting customers to leave quietly, and issues with CCTV recording retention. The report also noted that the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) was unsure about the CCTV system's operation and recording duration.

The Home Office Immigration Enforcement's submission argued that the employment of illegal workers and the breaches of licensing conditions were serious enough to warrant a review, and they requested that the premises licence be revoked. They referenced Section 182 guidance, which states that employing someone disqualified from work due to their immigration status should be treated particularly seriously, and that revocation of the licence should be seriously considered, even in the first instance.

The Metropolitan Police also provided a supporting statement, expressing concern over the licence holder's apparent lack of due diligence regarding the immigration status of staff and the potential for cheaper labour. They highlighted breaches related to blocked fire exits and the inability to access CCTV footage, stating that these actions undermined all four licensing objectives: public safety, prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and protection of children from harm. The Police indicated their full support for the review and the suggestion of revoking the premises licence.

The report pack also included the premises licence itself, detailing the licensable activities authorised, opening hours, and conditions attached to the licence, including mandatory conditions and those attached after a hearing.