Agenda and decisions

Safika Organic Health Centre, The Parade, 12a Upper Brockley Road, London, SE4 1SX

Lewisham LBC, Licensing Committee

Temporary event notice: 5-7 May 2023

DECISION NOTICE

1.    Stanford Brown (“the Applicant”) has submitted a Temporary Event Notice (“TEN”) seeking authorisation for playing recorded music between 1000 and 0000 on Friday 5, Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May 2023 at and on the street outside Safika Organic Health Centre, The Parade, 12a Upper Brockley Road, London, SE4 1SX (“the Premises”).

2.    The Metropolitan Police have objected to the TEN on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder and public safety.

3.    On 22 March 2023, the Licensing Committee held a hearing to consider that objection and to decide whether or not to give a “counter notice” under section 105 of the Licensing Act 2003.  In other words: the Licensing Committee has to decide whether the proposed event should be allowed to go ahead.

4.    The Committee’s decision is to not serve a counter notice, meaning that the proposed event can go ahead.  The reasons for the Committee’s decision are set out below.  In coming to its decision, the Committee has considered all of the papers in the reports pack and the evidence presented and submissions made by both the Applicant and the police at the hearing.

·         The Committee heard from the Applicant that he intends to place no more than three tables on the pavement outside his shop in order to promote the health products he sells.  The police confirmed that, if this was the extent of the activity outside of the Premises, they would have no objection to the TEN.

·         The TEN did not specify the capacity for the event.  However, the Applicant explained that he could not be sure how many people would attend but that he would be very surprised if more than 50 people came.  Again, the police confirmed that, if this was the case, they would have no objection.  Based on the evidence it heard, and its knowledge of the local area, the Committee considered it very unlikely that large numbers of people would attend this event.

·         The Committee gave no weight to the crime reports mentioned in the police objection.  As the police confirmed, none of these incidents related to the Premises or the Applicant.  Nor was it relevant that other licensed premises nearby had experienced problems; the Committee had to consider this application on its own merits.  Additionally, the Council’s Safer Communities Officer had confirmed there was no record on file of a noise abatement notice or other enforcement action having been taken against the Premises and noted that there had been no objection from the Environmental Health team.

·         The Committee also noted that the Applicant was not familiar with the licensing process, did not have access to the internet and did not appear to have anyone to assist him in submitting the TEN.  In order to make sure that the rights available under the Licensing Act 2003 are available to all members of the  ...  view the full decision text for item 3.