The Westminster Council Licensing Sub-Committee (4) meeting scheduled for Thursday 23 October 2025 was set to consider several licensing applications for determination. The agenda included reviews of premises licences for Violets and Mediterranean Café, both located on Berwick Street, and a premises licence transfer for Strand News on the Strand.

Violets, 19 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0PX

The committee was scheduled to consider a review of the premises licence for Violets, located at 19 Berwick Street¹. The application for review was submitted by the Metropolitan Police Service on 05 September 2025, citing concerns related to the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance. The report pack detailed repeated alleged breaches of licence conditions, including operating as a bar rather than a restaurant, despite previous reviews and enforcement actions. The police were seeking the revocation of the premises licence due to the serious and repetitive nature of the incidents. The report also noted representations from interested parties, with a significant number in support of the premises.

Mediterranean Café, 18 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0PU

A review of the premises licence for Mediterranean Café, at 18 Berwick Street, was also scheduled for discussion. This application was also made by the Metropolitan Police Service on 05 September 2025, on grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance. Similar to the review for Violets, the report highlighted repeated alleged breaches of licence conditions, including the operation as a bar and the hosting of private parties in the basement area, which contravened the restaurant condition. The police were seeking the revocation of this licence as well. The report indicated that the Licensing Authority² had also submitted a representation in support of the review, citing concerns regarding the promotion of the four licensing objectives. A substantial number of representations from interested parties were also received, largely in support of the premises.

Strand News, 145 Strand, London, WC2R 1JA

The committee was also set to consider a premises licence transfer application for Strand News, located at 145 Strand. The application was submitted by Mr Dinesh Chhaganbhai Patel, who is a director of NN (UK) LIMITED, the company currently operating the premises. Objections to this transfer were lodged by the Metropolitan Police Service and the Home Office Immigration Enforcement. The police raised concerns about the potential undermining of the prevention of crime and disorder objective, citing previous arrests for immigration offences and difficulties encountered by council officers during visits. Immigration Enforcement specifically objected on the grounds of illegal employment practices, detailing multiple instances of individuals working at the premises without the legal right to do so, and management absence. They argued that the premises had failed to uphold licensing objectives and posed a risk to the prevention of illegal working.

The committee was also scheduled to consider a separate premises licence review application for Strand News, submitted by Immigration Enforcement on 18 June 2025. The grounds for this review were the failure to uphold the licensing objective of the prevention of crime and disorder, specifically relating to illegal working. The report detailed multiple visits by Immigration Enforcement and Westminster Council officers where individuals without the right to work were found employed at the premises. The Home Office was seeking the revocation of the premises licence.