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 DECISION NOTICE
1. Nwcke Victor Okafor (“the
Applicant”) applied for a new Premises Licence on 1st August
2025 for Traffik Bar and Restaurant, 216 Deptford High Street,
London SE8 3PR (“the Premises”).
2. The application was made and advertised by
Nwcke Victor Okafor for his business. To ensure the application was
advertised in accordance with Regulation 25 of the Licensing Act
2003 (Premises licences and club premises certificates) Regulations
2005, the consultation period was extended so the last date for
representations was 5th September 2025.
3. The particulars proposed for the premise
licence were:
Particulars of Application
Sale of alcohol for consumption ON the
premises.
11:00 – 01:00 [00:00] Sunday to
Thursday
11:00 – 03:00 [02:00] Friday and
Saturday
Late Night Refreshment and Recorded
Music
23:00 – 01:00 [00:00] Sunday to
Thursday
23:00 – 03:00 [02:00] Friday and
Saturday
4. Eleven representations were received from
local residents on the grounds that the application does not
promote the Licensing Objectives, in particular, the prevention of
public nuisance; the prevention of crime and disorder; the
protection of children from harm as well as public safety. The
representations were received within the specified time, were
examined by Officers and were not considered to be vexatious or
frivolous.
5. The Applicant offered conditions as part of
the application, appearing in Section M of the form.
Representations were received from the Police and the Licensing
authority but following an agreement with the applicant to include
additional conditions from both authorities, the Police and the
Licensing authority withdrew their objections.
6. The additional agreed conditions appear in
the Agenda in section 9.4 on pages 42 to 44 inclusive. They
included a reduction in hours of operation with earlier ending
times, with amendments as set out in paragraph ‘3’
above in brackets and heavy type. No other Responsible Authority
made any representations.
7. The Licensing Sub-Committee C held a
meeting on the 2nd of October 2025 to consider the Application.
Safer Communities, Licensing Officer, Angela Mullin-Murrell,
introduced the report. The Applicant’s agent, Arka Licensing,
then addressed the Sub-Committee in support of the premises licence
application. He was allowed a fixed period of time and answered
Members’ questions. Of the members of the public, local
residents, who had submitted written representations objecting to
the grant of the licence, six attended and spoke at the meeting.
They were allowed an equal amount of time and answered the
questions put to them by Members. The Applicant was given an
opportunity at the end to briefly sum up and then each of the
objectors were allowed to briefly sum up their position.
8. In making its decision the Sub-Committee
has considered all the papers contained in the report pack and
submitted documents, including written submissions, together with
the oral submissions presented by the Applicant’s agent and
the six objectors at the hearing. The Sub-Committee also considered
the Council’s own Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-25 and
the latest Home Office Statutory Guidance, revised in December
2023.
9. The decision of the Sub-Committee is to
grant the premises licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption
on the premises, and for late night refreshment and recorded
music,
a.
With hours modified as follows:
Sale of alcohol for consumption ON the
premises.
11:00 – 00:00 Sunday to
Thursday
11:00 – 01:00 Friday and
Saturday
Late Night Refreshment and Recorded
Music
23:00 – 00:00 Sunday to
Thursday
23:00 – 01:00 Friday and
Saturday
b.
And otherwise in accordance with the
additional conditions agreed by the applicant with the licensing
authority and the police.:
10. The Sub-Committee’s reasons for
taking this decision are:
a.
The character of the venue was in the nature
of late opening restaurant and bar, a lounge rather than a night
club.
b.
The Sub-Committee noted the local objectors
concerns over noise nuisance emanating from the premises and from
people arriving and leaving, particularly into the early
hours.
c.
The sub-Committee noted that a comprehensive
series of additional conditions had been agreed by the operator
with the local authority and police that would promote the
licencing objectives.
d.
The Sub-Committee noted that on the Premises
becoming operational, if the licence conditions were not complied
with it was open for any person to instigate the licence review
process.
11. There is a right of appeal against this
decision. Any appeal should be made to the Magistrates’ court
within 21 days beginning with the day on which the Appellant was
notified of the decision.
Any person who has given notice of appeal on a
licensing decision to the Magistrates Court, or is considering
doing so, should not approach council officers for legal advice. A
person making an appeal should seek independent legal advice, for
instance, from a firm of solicitors or the local Citizens Advice
Bureau may be able to assist.
2nd October 2025