The Licensing Sub-Committee of Barnet Council was scheduled to convene on Thursday 12 March 2026 to discuss the procedure for licensing hearings and consider a review application for a local off-licence. The meeting's agenda included a detailed examination of the licensing hearing procedure and a specific case concerning Snack Buzz & Off Licence.

Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure

The committee was scheduled to review the established procedure for licensing hearings, as outlined in the document LBB Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings Procedure . This procedure, based on regulations made under the Licensing Act 2003, is designed to ensure natural justice and a fair hearing for all parties involved. The procedure details the roles of the Governance Officer and the Chair, the process for presenting cases, and the steps taken during deliberations and the announcement of decisions. It also covers the protocol for video evidence submission and the process for appealing decisions to Willesden Magistrates' Court.

Review of Snack Buzz & Off Licence

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to considering a review application for the premises licence of Snack Buzz & Off Licence, located at 19 Ballards Lane, London N3 1UX. The application, submitted by Karl Schultz, Team Leader for Barnet Trading Standards, was made under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The review application cited concerns related to the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. The grounds for the review stemmed from an inspection by Trading Standards on 20th December 2025, which reportedly uncovered a substantial quantity of illicit tobacco products, including Marlboro Gold cigarettes, Platinum Seven Slims, and Amber Leaf hand-rolling tobacco, as well as Kamagra Jelly (a form of Viagra). The application noted that these items were found hidden in a locked room at the rear of the premises.

The report indicated that the Trading Standards authority sought to revoke the premises licence in its entirety. The application detailed that the premises licence holder is Ashmeet Singh, and the business became a limited entity, Snack Buzz Limited, on 22nd January 2025, with the alcohol licence applied for shortly after on 16th January 2025.

The Licensing Authority, acting as a Responsible Authority, also submitted a representation in support of the review. This representation highlighted breaches of licence conditions observed during a joint visit on 19th December 2025, including the absence of an incident log, staff training records, notices requesting customers to leave quietly, and a refusal book. The Licensing Authority supported the review application and recommended that the Sub-Committee consider revoking the licence if the breaches and unlawful activity were deemed sufficiently serious.

Comments were also submitted on behalf of the licence holder by Maninder Kaur, a paralegal from Personal Licence Courses UK Ltd. These comments acknowledged the findings of Trading Standards, expressed regret, and stated that comprehensive measures had been implemented to ensure full compliance. The comments also noted a subsequent visit by Trading Standards on 12th January 2026, during which no non-compliance was identified, suggesting that the business had taken proactive steps to rectify failings.

The report included a Matters for Decision section, outlining the potential steps the Sub-Committee could take under Section 52(3) of the Licensing Act 2003, which include modifying licence conditions, excluding licensable activities, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence, or revoking the licence. The guidance issued under Section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, updated in November 2025, was also provided for reference, particularly concerning reviews in connection with crime.