Agenda item

The Licencing Subcommittee convened to determine an application for a premises licence in respect of the Basement, The Sorting Office LTD, 2a St Georges Road Temple Fortune, London NW11 0LR (“the Premises”).

The application was submitted by Samantha Kingsley (Mrs Kingsley) a director of Events at the Sorting Office limited (“the Limited Company”) Mrs Kingsley was applying for the premises licence on behalf of the Limited Company. The Subcommittee was informed by Michael Kingsley (husband of Mrs Kingsley) that Mrs Kingsley was unwell and could not attend the meeting. Mr Kingsley had however, notified the Council in advance he was attending the meeting on behalf of his wife. He had assisted his wife with the application for the premises licence which was now before the Subcommittee.

None of the objectors attended the meeting.

The facts in support of the application, which was contained in the licensing officers report, were presented by Zekiel Cudjoe, a licencing officer in the licensing team of the Council. The Subcommittee was informed by the licensing officer that the Council had received 39 written objections from local residents to the application. The objections were mainly about potential noise nuisance and parking problems that may arise in the vicinity of the Premises if the premises licence was granted by the Subcommittee. The Subcommittee was also informed that the police had discussed the application with the applicant and that the applicant had agreed to the conditions proposed by the police which was to form part of the licensing conditions if the Subcommittee decided to grant the licence. 

Mr Kingsley addressed the Subcommittee and made representations in support of the application. He informed the Subcommittee, that the applicant had commissioned a noise transmission survey which revealed that the noise that was likely to emanate from the premises was well below 45 dB, 90 dB being the normal expected noise level. He estimated that about 2 private hire functions a week were likely to take place at the Premises. These would mainly be small engagement parties or bar mitzvahs.

The Subcommittee had familiarised themselves with the issues arising because of the application having considered the application and the written objections which were included in hearing bundle, in advance of the hearing.

The subcommittee noted that the parking issues raised by the objectors was a matter for highways enforcement and did not carry any weight in opposing the application.

The Subcommittee also noted that the applicant had accepted the extensive conditions proposed by the police and as a result did not oppose the application. They were satisfied that these conditions were sufficient in promoting the licensing objectives should the licence be granted. Furthermore, they took into account that Mr Kingsley stated on behalf of the applicant, that the applicant was willing to engage with local residents within the vicinity of the Premises in order to allay any concerns they may have in response to any complaints of noise nuisance.

The subcommittee made aware that there were no objections from any of the responsible authorities to the application.

The Subcommittee having considered the applicant’s application for the Premises Licence, including all the documents submitted by the applicant in support of the application, having heard from Mr Kingsley on behalf of the applicant and having carefully considered the written representations from all the objectors, decided to grant the Premises Licence subject to the conditions proposed by the police and set out in the operating schedule of the application.

(The supply of alcohol is to be from 12:00 - 23:30 Monday- Sunday and not 12:00- 11:00hrs as inadvertently stated in the application).

Appeal

Any party aggrieved with the decision of the Licensing Panel on one or more grounds set out in schedule 5 of the Licensing Act 2003, may appeal to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of notification of this decision.