Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Scott, for whom Cllr Strang was acting as substitute.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business.  (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear.  New items will be dealt with at item 7 below).

There were no items of urgent business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at he commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member’s judgement of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chair will explain the procedure that the Committee will follow for the hearing considered under the Licensing Act 2003 or the Gambling Act 2005.  A copy of the procedure is attached.

NOTED

To consider an application to allow Supply of Alcohol at the premises.  

In response to the Chair asking whether there were any late documents for submission, the applicant’s representative confirmed that he had with him a copy of the applicant’s waste contract and related invoices, if the Committee needed to refer to these.

Ms Dale Barrett, the Licensing Officer, presented the report on an application for a new premises licence for the supply of alcohol at Lordship Lane Snooker Club, 407 Lordship Lane, Tottenham N17. Ms Barrett reported that representations by the police, noise team and child protection officer had been withdrawn as the applicant had accepted all the conditions proposed by the responsible authorities. Letters of representation had also been received from local residents, objecting to the application and expressing concerns regarding patrons from the premises obstructing access to properties to the rear of the club and intimidating local residents, non compliance with the smoking ban, incidences of violence in relation to the premises, littering and nuisance behaviour. Ms Barrett gave an outline of enforcement action taken in relation to the premises over the past three years.

In response to questions from the Committee, Ms Barrett indicated that the Committee could address the issues in relation to smokers at the premises by means of conditions. Tony Michael, Legal Services, advised that the Committee may take into account the enforcement history at the premises when considering whether conditions would be adequate to address the licensing objectives. In response to a question from the Committee regarding the gaming machines indicated on the plans submitted, Ms Barrett responded that the plans indicated the premises ‘as proposed’ and that if a licence were to be granted, the applicant was intending to apply for a licence for up to two gaming machines.

The applicant’s representative, Mr Cimen, addressed the Committee and advised that in response to the concerns raised by neighbours, the applicant would be happy to limit the number of smokers permitted outside at any one time and also to condition that the applicant would clear up the smoking area each night. It was also suggested that, if the number of smokers permitted outside were to be limited, then the area at the front of the premises could be used for smokers, rather than at the rear. Mr Cimen advised that most of the enforcement history in relation to the premises was to do with there being no waste contract in place, and advised that a waste contract was now in place, and a copy was available at the meeting if the Committee wished to refer to it. In relation to the mention in the report of the club being operated as a private members club, Mr Cimen clarified that this was only in relation to snooker tournaments, to control the registration of players and teams for such tournaments.

In response to a question from the Committee, Mr Cimen reported that members of the public would not have access to the upper floor of the premises. Mr Cimen also reported that, while the plans submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider an application to allow the Supply of Alcohol at the above premises.

The Licensing Officer, Ms Dale Barrett, presented the report on an application for a new premises licence for the supply of alcohol at Eko Mar, 37 Station Road, Wood Green N22. The representations made by the police had been withdrawn further to the applicant accepting the conditions proposed, and representation had also been made on the application by the noise team. A number of letters of representation had been received from local residents, objecting to the application on the grounds that it would increase late night noise and disturbance, public nuisance, anti social behaviour, littering and crime and disorder in the area, which was already affected by issues such as street drinking and violence from other licensed establishments in the vicinity. Further to clarification from the Licensing officer that the toilets at the premises would not be for use by the public, the operating schedule was amended to delete the condition in relation to the toilets.

Further to a question from the Committee, it was confirmed that the applicant had accepted all of the conditions proposed by the noise team.

A number of objectors addressed the Committee and expanded on the comments made in their written representations regarding issues of noise nuisance affecting their ability to sleep, light pollution from the shop signage, anti social and violent behaviour caused by intoxication, people drinking, loitering and sleeping rough in the access to the residential accommodation and the possibility that sale of alcohol would attract more problem and street drinkers to the area and exacerbate the existing problems. Residents expressed concern for their safety if a late night licence were to be granted.

In response to questions from the Committee, local residents agreed that reducing the hours for the supply of alcohol to 10pm or 11pm would be more acceptable.

Mr Cimen, representing the applicant, addressed the Committee. It was reported that the applicant had experience of running a similar premises, and that alcohol would only form a small part of the shop’s area. All staff would receive ongoing training, particularly in respect of underage sales, and the Challenge 21 scheme would be adhered to and promoted in-store. The applicant believed that the presence of a 24-hour shop would in fact deter people from loitering in the area and would make the vicinity safer for local residents.

In response to questions from the Committee, Mr Cimen reported that alcoholic products would be stocked in the area of the shop that was most easily monitored from the till point and that a member of staff would always be positioned nearby to deter thefts. It was clarified that the doorway onto the alleyway would be an exit only point, and this would be controlled by means of automatic doors. Mr Cimen reported that outside of licensed hours, the alcohol would be locked away by means of shutters.

Local residents asked the applicant questions, and it was confirmed that if residents had any issues in relation to the operation of the premises, they were always  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider any new items of urgent business admitted under item 2 above.

There were no new items of urgent business.

The meeting closed at 22:50hrs.