Issue - meetings

Daliah Barrett, Licensing Officer, introduced the report as set out.  The premises had been transferred to the current licence holder, Mr Bahattin Dag, in 2019, however it was clear that he had been involved with the premises since 2012 when officers carried out a joint visit with the Gambling Commission and found 10 unauthorised and illegal gaming machines onsite in contravention of the Licensing Act 2003 and the Gambling Act 2005.  Three further visits had been carried out, with breaches found on each occasion.  During a visit in October 2019, Mr Dag had been found to be employing an individual with restrictions on working in the UK.  The Licensing Authority was seeking a review of the premises licence on the grounds that the repeated siting of illegal gaming machine at the premises undermined the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective.

In response to questions from the Committee, Ms Barrett advised that:

-           If a premises had a licence to serve alcohol, then the Premises Licence Holder would have an automatic entitlement to have two category C or D gaming machines on site, providing that notice was provided to the Licensing Authority, and the prescribed fees paid.  For three or more machines, an application for a permit must be made to the Licensing Authority.  The Harringay Snooker club had not made any such application and did not hold either the normal notification of 2 machines or the Premises Gaming machine permit.

-           The review was sought on the repeated siting of illegal gaming machines, however the Committee could take the employment of the individual without permission to work in the UK into consideration.

Sarah Greer, Enforcement Manager, presented the application for a review of the premises licence.  The application related to several different offences, as set out in the application:

-           A joint visit between Haringey Enforcement Team and the Gambling Commission in October 2019 which found four gaming machines on the premises in a concealed room.  The machines were found to be illegal as they were not compliant with the Gambling Regulations or Commissions Technical Standards.  An individual was also found to be working on the premises who did not have permission to work in the UK.

-           A HMRC visit in February 2020, where an officer observed four gaming machines and one betting terminal made available for use on the premises.

-           A visit in November 2014, where Haringey Council and the Gambling Commission visited the premises and found six gaming machines available for use on the premises.  The machines were found to be illegal as they were not compliant with the Gambling Regulations or Commissions Technical Standards.

-           A visit in September 2012, where Haringey Council and the Gambling Commission visited the premises and found ten gaming machines available for use on the premises.  The machines were found to be illegal as they were not compliant with the Gambling Regulations or Commissions Technical Standards.

In response to questions from the Committee, Ms Greer advised that:

-           During  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34