Issue - meetings

To approve an application to allow provision of late night refreshment at Kentucky Fried Chicken, 278 Muswell Hill Broadway, London, N10 2QR.

Daliah Barrett, Licensing Officer, presented the report on the application for a premises licence variation in respect of Kentucky Fried Chicken under the Licensing Act 2003. By way of background, Ms Barrett advised the Committee of a number of late night premises in the immediate vicinity of KFC, and outlined the operating hours of these premises. Representations on the application had been received from the Police, Enforcement Response and a number of local residents and businesses.

Sgt David Williams of the Metropolitan Police addressed the Committee, outlining his representation made in objection to the application. Sgt Williams advised that there had been issues in the area for a number of years centring around the nightclubs and fast food premises, involving instances of crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour. In the past year, Sgt Williams reported that there had been approximately 18 incidents recorded which related specifically to the KFC premises, of which around 5 were staff from the KFC calling police. Incidents in the area had included serious assaults and disorder, and there were further issues regarding dangerous and illegal parking outside premises. On Friday and Saturday nights in particular, the pavement outside the premises was very congested, with crowds spilling out into the road itself. It was noted that the location itself posed problems such as the pavement width, road layout and crossing position, and the police were actively looking at ways to make this area safer. Sgt Williams expressed concern that any increase in operating hours would increase the level of problems in the area and advised that police resources meant that it would not be possible to police the extended hours applied for. Sgt Williams asked to submit some photographs of the area to demonstrate some of the issues raised; the applicant did not object to the admission of these images and the Committee took them into consideration.

In response to questions from the applicant’s representative, Mr Glazebrook, Sgt Williams confirmed that all of the 18 incidents related to KFC in the past year had taken place within the premises current opening hours, and that he did not have information on the number of incidents which occurred after KFC’s current opening hours. It was also confirmed that it was not possible to say from which specific premises such problems were originating.

Derek Pearce, Enforcement Response Officer, outlined the Enforcement Response Team’s representation on the application, which focussed on the issue of public nuisance. Mr Pearce noted that the proposed operating schedule did not address the issue of people waiting outside the premises, leaving with food purchased and litter. Mr Pearce echoed the concerns of the Police regarding the large crowds congregating in the area at weekends and illegal parking issues, which tended to start from midnight onwards. It was felt that the hours requested were not appropriate as they would encourage more people to stand out in the street and increase the potential for public nuisance. The Enforcement Response Team recommended that the hours remain as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19