The Licensing Act 2003 Subcommittee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 18 March 2026 to consider a new premises licence application for R3 Restaurant at 88-90 Leytonstone Road, Stratford. The hearing was adjourned to allow the applicant to seek legal advice following the revelation of an extant enforcement notice relating to the premises.

Premises Licence Application for R3 Restaurant, 88-90 Leytonstone Road, Stratford

The primary purpose of the meeting was to hear and determine a new premises licence application for R3 Restaurant, located on the first floor at 88-90 Leytonstone Road, Stratford E15 1TQ. The application, submitted by Klaudia Ciecielag for U MAXIMA, sought authorisation for the sale of alcohol, performance of recorded music, and performance of dance on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM the following day.

During the initial proceedings, it was revealed that an enforcement notice was extant on the land, issued in 2017 for operating as a drinking establishment without planning permission. Chloe Selwood, Principal Planner for the council, explained that operating as a drinking establishment in breach of this notice would remain a criminal offence, even if a premises licence were granted. This information prompted the applicant, Ms. Ciecielag, to request an adjournment to seek legal advice. The subcommittee, with the agreement of legal advisor Umair Malik, granted the adjournment in the public interest. A new date for the hearing was pencilled in for 15 April 2026.

The application had attracted representations from several responsible authorities:

• Licensing Team: The council's Licensing Team, represented by Senior Licensing Officer Steve Jackson, submitted a representation on the grounds of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. They noted that the area had been subject to efforts to eradicate anti-social activities and expressed concerns about the proposed smoking area, the lack of detail on staff training, and the absence of food provision during licensable hours, suggesting the application leaned towards a nightclub. They requested more robust conditions to be met.
• Commercial Environmental Health: Ian McConnell, Public Protection Officer from the Commercial Environmental Health Team, raised concerns regarding the prevention of public nuisance. He highlighted that the premises are adjacent to residential properties and that previous complaints had been received about customers leaving the venue, causing noise and anti-social behaviour. He expressed concern about the lack of detail on how noise and nuisance from customer dispersal would be minimised, particularly given the late operating hours. The team also requested that any noise limiter be set at an agreed level and be tamper-proof.
• Planning Team: Chloe Selwood, Principal Planner, submitted a representation on behalf of the Planning and Development department, citing the prevention of public nuisance and the prevention of crime and disorder. The representation detailed an enforcement notice issued in April 2017 for a material change of use to a drinking establishment, which was upheld on appeal. The Planning Team maintained that operating as a bar or club would likely require planning permission and that continued operation in breach of the enforcement notice would constitute a criminal offence. They referenced the Planning Inspectorate's findings that the previous use had an adverse effect on residents' health, the aural environment, and general living conditions.

The existing premises licence for R3 Lounge Ltd, held under licence number 23/25933/LAPRE, was also provided as part of the documentation. This licence, issued on 22 November 2023, authorised the supply of alcohol, performance of live and recorded music, and late-night refreshment, with operating hours extending to 2:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. However, the application under consideration was for a new premises licence.