The Licensing Sub-Committee of Wandsworth Council met on Thursday, 5th March 2026, to consider two applications for Special Treatment Establishment Licences. The committee decided to grant the licence for Therapy Rooms Putney subject to conditions and to refuse the renewal of the licence for The Pilates Room.

Therapy Rooms Putney, 130-132 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 2SP

The committee considered an application for a new Special Treatment Licence for Therapy Rooms Putney. The proposed licensable activities included laser treatments, Thai massage, LED Colour Light Therapy, nail extensions, manicures, pedicures, and facial steaming.

The Senior Licensing Officer, John McGann, had raised an objection on grounds of Serious Concerns regarding Fitness and Propriety, citing a connection between the applicant, Deborah Henley, and Mario Perez, who was also the landlord for the premises and the licence holder for The Pilates Room. Mr McGann's objection highlighted concerns about potential shadow control and a history of corporate association between Ms Henley and Mr Perez. He provided an Evidential Summary Report and a Research Summary, detailing their concurrent directorships in various companies, including Massages & Pilates Associates Ltd and The Pilates Room Ltd, and the recent coordinated transfer of officer control at The Pilates Room Ltd on 2 January 2026. Mr McGann argued that these documented connections and the recent restructuring raised questions about whether Ms Henley was genuinely operating independently and whether an unsuitable person retained material influence.

In response, Deborah Henley, Director of Therapy Rooms SW15 Limited, stated that the new company structure was established to ensure professional operation and full compliance, with herself as the sole director and responsible person. She asserted that Mr Perez had no role in the management of licensable activities and that historical matters predating the company's incorporation were not relevant. Ms Henley also noted that she had followed Mr McGann's previous advice to submit a new application with a fit and proper person in place.

Further written representations from the applicant indicated that higher-risk treatments, including laser treatments, had ceased at the premises, and only low-risk services were being provided pending the determination of the application. The applicant expressed willingness to accept reasonable and proportionate conditions should the committee deem them necessary.

The committee decided to grant the licence for Therapy Rooms Putney, subject to conditions. These conditions would likely include ensuring that all practitioners are suitably qualified and insured, maintaining appropriate hygiene standards, and adhering to all standard conditions for special treatment establishments as outlined in Appendix A of the Public reports pack.

The Pilates Room, 226 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 6TG

The committee also considered the renewal application for a Special Treatment Licence for The Pilates Room. The proposed licensable activities included laser treatments, microblading, micropigmentation, body massage, infra-red therapy, electrolysis, faradism, galvanism, nail extensions, manicures, and pedicures.

Similar to the previous application, Senior Licensing Officer John McGann lodged an objection on the grounds of serious concerns regarding the fitness and propriety of the licence holder, Mario Perez. Mr McGann's objection reiterated the concerns about the corporate association between Mr Perez and Deborah Henley, highlighting their long-standing joint directorships and the recent coordinated officer changes at The Pilates Room Ltd. He argued that the documented shared use of a residential correspondence address and the LinkedIn profile stating the business was founded by both individuals further evidenced continuing business interconnection. Mr McGann contended that the authority was entitled to scrutinise the recent officer transition to ensure no unsuitable person retained direct or indirect control.

The applicant, The Pilates Room Ltd, through Deborah Henley, strongly disputed the grounds of the objection, stating that the allegations concerned a different premises and had no connection to The Pilates Room at 226 Upper Richmond Road. They asserted that the premises had operated for several years without incident, complaint, or enforcement action. Ms Henley confirmed that she would act as the responsible officer for the licence, replacing Mr Perez in this role, to ensure a transparent and professional approach to compliance. The applicant also provided an email from Licensing Officer Russ Stevens, dated 25 October 2024, which acknowledged previous misinformation and miscommunication by environmental health officers during an inspection, suggesting that past complications stemmed from internal licensing errors rather than failings by the business.

Despite the applicant's arguments and the clarification of governance arrangements, the committee decided to refuse the renewal of the licence for The Pilates Room. This decision was based on the evidence presented regarding the ongoing corporate connections and the recent officer restructuring involving Mario Perez, which led the committee to conclude that he was not a fit and proper person to hold or be connected with a Special Treatment Licence. The committee's decision was informed by the grounds for refusal outlined in Section 8 of the London Local Authorities Act 1991, specifically relating to the fitness and propriety of persons concerned in the conduct or management of the premises.