The Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee of Brent Council is scheduled to consider a new premises licence application for Sanjit Express. The meeting documents outline the details of this application and previous related decisions.

Application for New Premises Licence at Sanjit Express

The primary item for discussion at the meeting is an application for a new premises licence for Sanjit Express, located at 327 Harrow Road, Wembley, HA9 6BA. The applicant, Swatiben Thakkar, is seeking permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between 9am and 10pm, Monday to Sunday. The premises would also be open from 8am to 11pm daily.

This application falls within the Wembley Central Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) ¹. Brent Council's Statement of Licensing Policy ² states that applications within a CIZ are presumed to be refused unless the applicant can provide compelling evidence that the licence will not negatively impact the licensing objectives, particularly concerning crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, and street drinking.

Representations have been received from both the Metropolitan Police Service and the Licensing Authority, both of whom are opposing the application. The police representation highlights concerns about the potential for increased crime and disorder, public nuisance, and a detrimental effect on public safety, citing high crime rates in the area and the proximity to Wembley Stadium. The Licensing Authority's representation echoes these concerns, noting that the applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the proposed licence would not contribute to the cumulative impact in the area.

The report pack also includes details of a previous application for a new premises licence for Sanjit Express, which was refused by a Licensing Sub-Committee on 15 October 2025. The reasons for that refusal included concerns about the applicant's understanding of operating within a CIZ, the applicant's limited understanding of off-licence operations, and misleading statements regarding experience. The current application proposes more robust conditions and reduced hours compared to the previous one, but the Licensing Authority still questions whether the sale of alcohol would be ancillary to the business model and whether sufficient justification exists to depart from the CIZ policy.

The Sub-Committee has the power to grant the licence, exclude licensable activities, refuse to specify a premises supervisor, or reject the application entirely.