Here is a summary of the items scheduled for discussion by the Licensing Sub-Committee. The meeting included a discussion of licensing regulations and a review of a premises license.

Licensing Act 2003: 418 Store, 551 Ecclesall Road

The sub-committee was scheduled to review an application to vary a premises licence for 418 Store, located at 551 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, S11 8PR. The applicant, the current premises licence holders Masoud Ibrahimi & Amanuel Gebru Arya, applied to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises, and the opening hours, to:

• Sunday to Thursday: 09:00 to 03:00 the following day
• Friday & Saturday: 09:00 to 05:00 the following day

The current hours are 09:00 to 23:00, seven days a week.

The application was referred to the Licensing Sub-Committee due to unresolved representations from interested parties, including:

• Sheffield Public Health
• Councillor Brian Holmshaw, Green Party Councillor for Broomhill & Sharrow Vale
• Councillor Angela Argenzio, Green Party Councillor for Broomhill & Sharrow Vale
• Eight local residents (two representations made jointly)

During the consultation period, the applicant agreed to conditions with South Yorkshire Police, relating to requirements for an incident log, staff training and CCTV within the premises.

According to the report pack, a previous variation application was made by the licence holders in October 2023 to extend the alcohol off sale hours to 24 hours a day, but this application was refused.

Representations

Sheffield Public Health said they objected to the extension of alcohol off-sales hours due to conflicts with the licensing objectives of public safety and the prevention of crime and disorder. They stated that police data showed the area around Ecclesall Road is a hotspot for violence and sexual offences. They added that there were approximately 43 reports to the Police of violence and sexual offences within the 200m radius of the store in the last 12 months, and approximately 16 reports of anti-social behaviour in the same small area.

Evidence shows strong associations between consumption of alcohol by perpetrator and/or victim in sexual assault cases. The association between alcohol consumption and violence is also well established particularly late night violence between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

Adding an additional outlet for alcohol off-sales in an already saturated area will not improve the situation, and lead to increased risk for for these type of offences.

Sheffield Public Health

Councillor Brian Holmshaw also objected to the licensing application, stating that there were too many premises doing this on Ecclesall Road and it was affecting the living conditions of residents. He believed that the extension of the licence could compromise the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, and the prevention of public nuisance. He also raised concerns about the growth of late night and early hours off-licensing and the impact on public health.

Councillor Angela Argenzio supported the objections made by Councillor Brian Holmshaw.

Several local residents also objected to the application, raising concerns about crime, disorder, antisocial behaviour, noise, and disturbance.

Licensing Objectives and Considerations

The report pack noted that under the Licensing Act 2003, the council must carry out its functions with a view to promoting the licensing objectives, which are:

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

The report also stated that the council must have regard to its published statement of licensing policy¹ and any guidance issued by the Secretary of State under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003².

The report pack included the recommendation that members of the Licensing Sub-Committee carefully consider the report and the representations made, and take such steps as they consider necessary for the promotion of the Licensing Objectives.