Agenda, decisions and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Committee held on 21 December 2022 and 22 and 29 March 2023 be confirmed and signed.

None.

DECISION: Immortals Wine Bar, 123 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6QJ

London Borough of Lewisham, Licensing Committee

New premises licence application: 25 April 2023.

DECISION NOTICE

1.    Andreusse Elliott (“the Applicant”) has submitted an application for a new premises licence (“PL”) in respect of Immortals Wine Bar, at 123 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6QJ (“the Premises”).

2.    The Applicant seeks authorisation for the following licensable activities and for the following time periods:

3.    There were no objections from the responsible authorities. There were four relevant representations from members of the public.

4.    The Licensing Committee held a hearing on 25 April 2023 to consider the representations. The Committee heard from the Applicant, and from two members of the public who had made written representations objecting to the application. They raised concerns engaging all four of the licensing objectives arising from: the existing large number of late-night venues in the area, and noise nuisance and antisocial behaviour arising from the same. They questioned whether it was appropriate for another late-night venue to open in the area, and suggested doing so would exacerbate existing nuisance and antisocial behaviour issues.

5.    After careful consideration of all the evidence and submissions, the Committee decided to grant the application, modified as set out below and subject to conditions within the Appendix to this decision.

Reasons

In making its decision, the Committee has taken into account all of the papers in the reports pack and the evidence and submissions presented. In particular, the Committee has had regard to the need to promote the four licensing objectives, the Licensing Authority’s Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-26 and to the Home Office’s statutory guidance.

·         The Committee did not consider that the use of the premises would inevitably offend against the licensing objectives and therefore considered that refusing the application outright was not appropriate. Instead, they resolved to grant the licence modified as to the hours authorised and subject to a series of conditions set out in the Appendix to this decision.

·         The Committee heard from the Applicant that he intends to impose significant security measures at the Premises during operation and that the Applicant had engaged an experienced management team to assist in this regard. These matters are secured by condition. The Committee gave significant weight to these safeguards.

·         The Applicant also explained how customers in the rear garden of the venue would not be entitled to use the full length of the garden, there would be a limit on the number of people allowed in the garden at any time, thereby limiting noise nuisance, and the garden area would close at 9pm. This is secured by condition.

·         The Committee gave no weight to purported antisocial behaviour and/or  ...  view the full decision text for item 3.

LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM

MINUTES of the meeting of the LICENSING COMMITTEE, which was open to the press and public held on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 7pm and held remotely via Microsoft Teams.

Present

Councillor Wise (Chair) Brown, Howard, Huynh and Warner.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Anifowose, Shrivastava, Jackson.

Also Present

Rowan Clapp – Counsel – Legal advisor

Richard Lockett – Safer Communities Service Senior Licensing Officer

Kennedy Obazee– Safer Communities Officer

Emma Campbell-Smith - Head of Governance and Committee Services

Immortals Wine Bar, 123 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6QJ.

Applicant

Mr Elliott

Objectors

2 residents

1.         Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Licensing Committee held on 21 December 2022 and 22 and 29 March 2023 be confirmed and signed.

2.         Declarations of Interests

None.

3.       Immortals Wine Bar, 123 Lewisham Way, London, SE14 6QJ

3.1      The Chair welcomed all parties to the Licensing Committee. She introduced those present and outlined the procedure to be followed for the meeting. She then invited the Safer Communities Officer to introduce the application.

            Introduction

3.2      Mr Obazee said that the hearing was being held to determine a licensing application for Immortals Wine Bar 123 Lewisham Way SE14 6QJ. Details of the application were in the report and notice had been served on the responsible authorities on 15 February 2023. The application had been advertised in accordance with regulations. Four objections had been received within the consultation period and were not considered to be vexatious or frivolous.

3.3      Members then outlined the options available to members under the licensing objectives, when making their decision.

Applicant  

3.4      The applicant addressed the Committee. He said that he took over 123 Lewisham Way with idea of Immortals Wine Bar. A place where he could invite the community including University and College students. He was trying to create somewhere these patrons could work, watch sports have an alcoholic drink and a place to have gatherings. It would not be a nightclub as suggested by objectors.

3.5      The applicant said that the objectors suggested that his premises would be a problematic nightclub, but he had been trying to steer away from that type of premises. He had plans for the layout of the premises and ideas for the garden area. The licensing officer offered him advice about possible trading hours, but the applicant already knew when he wanted to open and close, and he would not be trading until 4am. He suggested that it would be a good warmup bar for patrons going on to nightclubs. He was a family man and did not want to be open until the early hours of the morning. The garden was long, and the applicant was aware that neighbours’ gardens backed on to it, but he only intended to use a few metres from the back entrance.

3.6      The applicant said that he had already identified SIA staff and a camera system had been set up. The wine bar was busiest on Thursday  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.