The Harrow Council Licensing Panel met to discuss an application for a new premises licence for Pepe's Peri Peri, located at 434 Rayners Lane in Harrow. The panel decided to grant the licence, permitting late-night refreshment until 3am, subject to conditions. These conditions included CCTV installation, noise control, waste management, and measures to prevent disturbance to local residents.

Pepe's Peri Peri Licensing Application

A.K.A. Grill Limited, the applicant, sought a licence for late-night refreshment at Pepe's Peri Peri, 434 Rayners Lane, from 11pm to 3am daily. The application received objections from a local resident, citing concerns about potential public nuisance due to noise from delivery drivers and customers.

Applicant's Case

The applicant's representative, named in the reports pack as Kam Kaur, highlighted their experience managing a Pepe's branch in Hounslow with a late-night licence, stating that they had successfully managed noise and cooperated with the police. They also noted that other establishments in the area, such as Chicken Lovers, Topps Pizza, and Chicken Cottage, operate until 1am or later. Ms Kaur stated that they were willing to implement measures to mitigate noise, such as training staff, installing CCTV, and ensuring deliveries come through the back door.

Ms Kaur said:

Everything we've done in Hanzlo was going to be replicated in Rainers Lane to ensure that we don't cause a nuisance to any of our neighbours. We are new to the area in terms of the area itself. So, for us, it's more about making friends and ensuring we are very neighbourly.

Objector's Concerns

A local resident, named in the reports pack as Andy Gutteridge, living directly opposite the premises, objected to the 3am closing time, suggesting 11pm or midnight would be more appropriate. Mr Gutteridge expressed concerns about noise from delivery drivers and customers, as well as insufficient parking spaces. He presented a survey of other fast-food outlets in the area, noting that most close well before midnight, and a survey of other Pepe's Peri Peri outlets locally, noting that the ones that stay open late are in areas where there are nightclubs and pubs, not quiet suburban streets. This information was provided in the Supplemental Agenda - Additional Documents.

Conditions and Amendments

The Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Authority proposed conditions to be attached to the licence, including CCTV, restrictions on admitting unaccompanied children after 9pm, noise control, waste management, and delivery management. The report of the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy stated that the Licensing Authority and Metropolitan police have each proposed a set of conditions that directly address the concerns raised by the representation and will help ensure the premises operate in a way that respects the local community.

The panel made minor amendments to conditions 3, 9, and 12. Condition 3 was amended to specify that no children under 16 should be admitted after 9pm unless accompanied by a responsible adult. Condition 9 was amended to clarify that drivers will await deliveries in an internal section of the premises until the delivery is collected. Condition 12 was amended to state that no customer is allowed to sit and eat in the venue after 11:59pm, and this must be clearly signposted with the seating area and lighting in this area closed off from the public at this time.

Panel's Decision

The Licensing Panel decided to grant the premises licence as sought, subject to the agreed conditions with the aforementioned amendments. The panel reasoned that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that the licensing objectives would be undermined, as the nuisance was anticipated. The panel considered the applicant's experience in managing a similar business in Hounslow, the absence of objections from responsible authorities¹, and the implementation of appropriate conditions.

The panel noted that the business would be monitored by the police, the franchise, and the applicants themselves. The panel referenced Harrow's statement of licensing policy, which acknowledges that licensing is not a mechanism for general control of anti-social behaviour but plays a key role in ensuring premises are well-managed to promote the licensing objectives².