The Licensing Committee of Croydon Council met on Monday 2 February 2026 to discuss a review of the borough's cumulative impact areas and to consider applications for street designation orders and premises licences. The meeting's agenda included a consultation on the potential retention of existing cumulative impact areas, which are designated zones where the concentration of licensed premises may negatively affect licensing objectives.

Review of Cumulative Impact Areas

A significant item scheduled for discussion was the consultation regarding the review of Cumulative Impact Areas (CIAs) within the London Borough of Croydon, as outlined in the Supplementary Agenda. The committee was recommended to consider the review and the evidence base for the current CIA assessment, and to agree to commence statutory consultation on whether the existing CIAs should be retained. The outcome of this consultation would be reported back to the committee for further consideration.

Cumulative impact refers to the potential negative effects on the licensing objectives – preventing crime and disorder, public nuisance, ensuring public safety, and protecting children from harm – that can arise from a high concentration of licensed premises in a specific area. The report detailed that Croydon currently has five CIAs, all relating to premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, such as off-licences, shops, and supermarkets. These areas are:

• Along the Brighton Road; South End; High Street, George Street corridor.
• Along the London Road/Streatham High Road corridor.
• Along the Brigstock Road and High Street, Thornton Heath corridor.
• Along the length of Central Parade, New Addington.
• Along the length of High Street, South Norwood and Portland Road, Woodside.

The report presented data on crime and anti-social behaviour incidents linked to alcohol, as well as the density of off-licence premises in these areas, to support the rationale for retaining them. The committee was asked to agree to a four-week statutory consultation period.

Applications for Street Designation Orders

The meeting's report pack, the Public reports pack, indicated that two applications for street designation orders under the London Local Authorities Act 1990 were scheduled for discussion. These applications sought to designate areas of the public highway for street trading purposes.

Allders Parade, North End, Croydon CR0 1UB

An application was scheduled to be discussed for the highway outside Allders Parade, 2-28 North End, Croydon. This application sought to designate an area for street trading, specifically for external seating, plants, and flowers. The proposed trading hours were Monday to Saturday, 8am to 9pm, and Sunday, 9am to 6pm. The report noted that the application had been advertised, and no objections or comments had been received from relevant authorities. The Head of Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing explained that the proposed designation would leave a clear pedestrian space of 2.7m, which exceeded the council's policy requirement of 2m. The committee was recommended to designate the site for street trading and grant a street trading licence.

Junction of Caithness Walk and Lansdowne Road, East Croydon, CR9 1DX

A second application concerned the highway at the junction of Caithness Walk and Lansdowne Road, East Croydon. This application was for a mobile vehicle, measuring 3m by 2m by 1.8m, intended to sell food. The requested trading hours were Monday to Sunday, 9am to 9pm. The report highlighted that there was an existing designation for a coffee van at this location. Concerns were raised by the Lead Landscape Officer regarding the proposed location's potential to obscure sightlines, clash with a route protection area for an existing tree, and impede planned highway improvements and public realm enhancements. The applicant, Amin Gholam, owner of Solo Spice, stated his intention to operate a second trailer and was aware of potential future changes to the area. The committee was recommended to not designate the site for street trading and not grant a street trading licence.

Application for a Premises Licence

The meeting also included a Licensing Sub-Committee hearing concerning an application for a Premises Licence at 755 London Road, Croydon, CR7 6AW. The application sought the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises. The proposed hours for alcohol sales were Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm, and Sunday, 10am to 2pm.

The premises is located within a cumulative impact area and a public space protection order zone, which had been extended due to persistent alcohol-related anti-social behaviour. Graham Mitchell, representing an objector, argued that the application for off-sales should be refused due to the cumulative impact policy, which presumes refusal in such areas unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated. He highlighted the lack of a specific risk assessment for off-sales in the CIA and PSPO location, and the absence of details on alcohol storage, controls on immediate consumption, and interaction with the PSPO area.

Alexandra Magalhaes, the applicant, described the business as a small food-led café and deli where alcohol sales would be limited, controlled, and secondary to food. She stated that agreed conditions with the police and trading standards provided safeguards against alcohol-related nuisance. The applicant proposed that alcohol would be stored and displayed in a controlled manner, with no single cans for sale, and that sales would be supervised with CCTV and a challenge 25 policy. The applicant was willing to agree to additional conditions, including keeping alcohol in a lockable unit.

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered the representations and the evidence presented. The report indicates that the Sub-Committee resolved to refuse the application for the sale of alcohol off the premises but resolved to grant the application for the sale of alcohol on the premises, subject to agreed conditions.