The Licensing Sub-Committee of Sutton Council met on 12 March 2026 to consider a new premises licence application for Foodland, located at 702 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9BY. The committee granted the licence with an additional condition regarding the display of alcohol.

Licence Application for Foodland

The Sub-Committee considered an application from Connect Foods UK Ltd for a new premises licence for Foodland, 702 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9BY. The application sought authorisation for the retail sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises between 08:00 and 23:00, Monday to Sunday.

During the hearing, Bipin Thomas, representing Connect Foods UK Ltd, highlighted that alcohol sales would constitute a small portion of the business, estimated at around 5% of overall trade. He emphasised the store's unique offering of world foods and stated that the application was a response to customer requests. Mr. Thomas assured the committee of the applicant's experience in running other retail outlets and a public house, with no prior complaints or concerns raised by enforcement officers or the police at those establishments. He committed to implementing a strict Challenge 25 policy, maintaining a refusal register, utilising CCTV, and restricting the sale of high-strength beers and ciders (above 6.5% ABV) and single cans. The applicant also stated that alcohol would be stored behind the counter and would not exceed 20% of the displayed stock.

However, the application was met with objections from four Other Persons, including a local convenience store proprietor, Jasbeer Singh Alwadi, and his representative, Simerjeet Kaur Alwadi. Concerns were raised regarding the potential negative impact on public safety, crime and disorder, public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Specific worries included increased pedestrian activity and traffic in a busy area, the potential for intoxicated behaviour, and the cumulative impact of existing alcohol retailers in North Cheam. The objectors cited examples from other boroughs where a high density of licensed premises had been linked to anti-social behaviour and increased calls to emergency services. They also expressed concerns about the potential financial impact on Mr. Alwadi's established business, which had already faced challenges due to nearby supermarket openings.

The Metropolitan Police initially raised concerns but these were satisfied after the applicant amended their operating schedule.

After considering the application, the representations, and legal advice, the Sub-Committee decided to grant the licence as applied for. They imposed one additional condition: that no more than 20% of the display sales area at the premises would be dedicated to the sale of alcohol. The Sub-Committee noted that the proposed hours were within the guideline hours set out in Sutton's Statement of Licensing Policy and that the area was not designated as a cumulative impact zone. They also acknowledged that any future issues could be addressed through a licence review.

The conditions attached to the licence include those from the applicant's operating schedule, covering CCTV, an incident log, security measures, restrictions on alcohol display and volumes, management of the outside area, signage for departing customers, delivery times, a Challenge 25 policy, staff training, a refusals book, and the display of age-restricted products. The new condition limits the alcohol display area to 20% of the total sales area.