Agenda and decisions

DECISION NOTICE

1.    An application was received from Aaja Deptford Limited (“Applicant”) for the grant of a new Premises Licence for premises located at 63-69 Deptford High Street, SE8 4AN (“Premises”).

2.    The application for the grant of a new Premises Licence received representations from thirteen local residents.  The application also received representations from the Metropolitan Police and Licensing Authority, but those representations were withdrawn following negotiations during the 28 day consultation period.

3.    The Licensing Committee held a hearing on 11 April 2024 to consider the application. The Applicant was represented at the hearing and made submission in support of the Application. The Committee also heard submission from 8 local residents who had made written representations to the application.

4.    In making its decision the Committee has considered all of the papers contained in the report pack together with the submissions and evidence presented by the Applicant and local residents. The committee has also considered the Council’s own Statement of Licensing Policy and the Home Office’s Statutory Guidance.

5.    The Committee’s decision is to grant the application for a new Premises Licence subject to the following:

a.    The Premises Licence to be subject to the conditions set out at pages 47-48 of the hearing agenda pack subject to an amendment to condition 12 to be replaced with “The premises shall have a written dispersal policy to be agreed with Lewisham Police Licensing Team, Lewisham Local Authority Licencing Team and Lewisham Environmental Health Team.  All staff shall be trained in the dispersal policy and authorised to enforce it during all hours that the Premises are operating”;

b.    The sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment to be permitted on the Premises Mondays to Sundays between 11:00 hours and 00:00 hours; and

c.     The licensable activities of indoor sporting events and boxing or wrestling entertainment will not be permitted on the Premises;

6.    The Committee considered that application should be granted for the following reasons:

a.    The Committee heard evidence from the Applicant both in its written submissions and its oral submission of the activities already operating at the Premises including radio stations, recording studios, event spaces, co-working facilities, and a local café.  The Committee was satisfied that the Applicant was not proposing to operate a night club at the Premises.

b.    The Committee noted that Deptford High Street had been designated as a Local Hub in its own Statement of Licensing Policy (“Policy”), paragraph15.6.  The Policy identifies a range of licensed premises in its preferred hours policy, but the Premises did not fall neatly within one of the defined premises and the Committee determined on the evidence that the most appropriate type of premises were public houses and bars.  On that basis the Committee determined that the Premises hours should align with the preferred hours set out in paragraph 15.7 of the Policy for pubs and bars, namely all licensable activities should be permitted between the hours of 11:00 and 00:00 Mondays to Sundays.  ...  view the full decision text for item 3.