The Islington Licensing Sub-Committee A met on 11 February 2026 to review the premises licence for The World's End, located at 21-23 Stroud Green Road, London N4 3EF. The committee heard representations from a local resident, Axel Guillemot, who initiated the review on grounds of public nuisance, public safety, and prevention of crime and disorder. Following extensive deliberation and consideration of evidence, the subcommittee decided to modify the conditions of the licence.

Premises Licence Review: The World's End

The primary focus of the meeting was the review of the premises licence for The World's End, initiated by a local resident, Axel Guillemot. The grounds for the review were related to the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public safety, and preventing public nuisance.

Arguments Presented:

• For the Review (Axel Guillemot and Licensing Authority):

  • Mr. Guillemot, a local resident, presented a detailed case supported by extensive documentary and recorded evidence, including over 400 email communications with council services, noise recordings within his home, video evidence of unmanaged dispersal and obstruction, and council admissions of non-compliance with licence conditions regarding sound insulation. He highlighted persistent noise nuisance, including statutory nuisance witnessed inside his home, unlawful late-night live music, breaches of conditions 7 and 8 requiring a sound insulation scheme, excessive amplified music, crowd noise, obstruction of his residential doorway, unmanaged anti-social behaviour, public safety concerns during football events, misuse of Temporary Event Notices (TENs), doors left open during entertainment, and the impact on his newborn child and pregnancy-related stress. He noted that the premises lies within the Finsbury Park Cumulative Impact Zone.
  • The Licensing Authority, represented by Fanos Santis, Senior Environmental Health Officer, supported the review on the grounds of preventing public nuisance. They detailed a history of noise complaints from January 2025, including statutory noise nuisance witnessed by officers on multiple occasions. They highlighted that Annex 2 Conditions 7 and 8, requiring an approved sound insulation scheme before operating after midnight, had never been complied with, despite Greene King Brewing & Retailing Ltd, the licence holder, accepting these conditions in 2008. The Noise Team recommended removing the deregulation of qualifying regulated entertainment under the Live Music Act 2003 and replacing conditions 7 and 8 with more stringent requirements for acoustic assessment, sound insulation, and noise limiting devices.

• Against the Review (Premises Licence Holder and Supporters):

  • Representing The World's End, Axel (the applicant for the review) and the premises licence holder, Greene King, argued that the venue is a vital community asset. Several individuals spoke in support, including Ellen Quirk, who lives nearby and stated she does not experience noise issues, finding the pub important for community belonging. Temina Walker, also a local resident, emphasised the pub's role in fostering community in London and highlighted its welcoming atmosphere and good management. Joe Meikle, founder of Finsbury Park Focus, spoke about the pub's cultural significance and its positive contribution to the local economy and community spirit.
  • Arguments were made that the noise complaints were subjective and that the premises had taken measures to mitigate noise, including acoustic consultants and sound limiter testing. The applicant's legal representative argued that the service of an abatement notice does not prove statutory nuisance and that the appeal was ongoing. They also highlighted the significant cultural and historical importance of The World's End as a live music venue, noting it is the last of its kind in the Islington side of Finsbury Park. Over 200 representations were received in support of the premises.

Decision:

The subcommittee reviewed all the evidence and submissions. While acknowledging the concerns raised regarding noise and public nuisance, the committee also recognised the significant cultural and community value of The World's End. After deliberation, the subcommittee decided to modify the conditions of the licence. Specifically, they agreed to remove the deregulation of qualifying regulated entertainment under the Live Music Act 2003. This means that live and amplified music will now be subject to stricter conditions. The existing conditions 7 and 8 of Annex 2 were removed and replaced with new, more detailed conditions proposed by the Council's Noise Service. These new conditions mandate the appointment of a qualified acoustic consultant to assess sound insulation, prepare a scheme of works, and ensure sound levels are agreed with the council's noise team and stipulated on the premises licence. Regular calibration of any installed sound limiting devices and forwarding of certificates to the noise team were also stipulated. Furthermore, a noise management plan and dispersal policy are to be developed and implemented. The subcommittee concluded that these modifications were proportionate and appropriate to promote the licensing objectives.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Heather Staff, Chair of the Licensing Committee and Migrants Champion. Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Gary Heather and Councillor Ngon Ray. Councillor Phil Graham and Councillor Nick Wayne were also present as members of the subcommittee.