The Licensing Panel B of Camden Council was scheduled to consider three applications for premises licences. These included a variation to an existing licence for the Edinboro Castle pub, and new licences for 7 Day Local and Ranya Shisha Vape.

Edinboro Castle, 57 Mornington Terrace, London, NW1 7RU

The panel was scheduled to discuss an application to vary the premises licence for the Edinboro Castle pub, located at 57 Mornington Terrace, London, NW1 7RU. The application sought to vary the internal and external layout of the premises, specifically focusing on changes to the garden area. The applicant, Mitchells & Butlers Leisure Retail Limited, stated that these works were necessary due to subsidence issues and aimed to improve the garden's facilities and aesthetics.

Representations opposing the application were received from Environmental Health, a resident association (Delancey Street Residents' Association), and two residents. These representations primarily focused on concerns related to the prevention of public nuisance, citing a history of noise disturbances, issues with customer dispersal, and the potential for increased noise and anti-social behaviour due to the proposed layout changes. The Environmental Health department noted that the current licence had few conditions related to public nuisance and recommended more robust conditions if the application were to be granted. Residents proposed specific conditions, including limiting the garden's capacity to 50 patrons, prohibiting vertical drinking, enforcing a 9pm garden closure, banning amplified sound and televisions in the garden, and implementing stricter dispersal policies.

The report pack also included a legal challenge to the validity of some representations, arguing they did not directly relate to the proposed layout changes and constituted a back door review of the licence. Case law, including Taylor v Manchester City Council¹, was provided to support arguments regarding the scope of representations in licence variation applications.

7 Day Local, 67a Camden High Street, NW1 7JL

The panel was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for 7 Day Local, located at 67a Camden High Street, NW1 7JL. The application sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between 08:00 and 23:00 daily.

Representations opposing this application were submitted by the Metropolitan Police, Public Health, and a resident association (TRACT). The Metropolitan Police raised concerns about the cumulative impact of licensed premises in Camden Town, citing issues with alcohol-related crime, anti-social behaviour, and the proximity to vulnerable individuals and drug hotspots. They recommended additional conditions, such as restrictions on the sale of high-strength alcohol and mandatory staff presence. Public Health also highlighted the excessive density of existing alcohol outlets in the area and the significant alcohol-related harm, evidenced by high ambulance callout rates. They noted the proximity to services supporting individuals with alcohol-related vulnerabilities and argued that an additional off-licence would exacerbate these risks. TRACT, a resident association, also objected due to concerns about cumulative impact, street drinking, litter, and noise.

The applicant proposed conditions including CCTV, staff training, a Challenge 25 policy, and an incident log. The Police recommended further conditions, such as restricting the sale of high-strength alcohol and ensuring adequate staffing.

Ranya Shisha Vape, 75 Camden High Street, London, NW1 7JL

The panel was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Ranya Shisha Vape, located at 75 Camden High Street, London, NW1 7JL. The application sought permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between 09:00 and 23:00 daily.

Representations opposing this application were received from the Metropolitan Police, Public Health, and TRACT. The Metropolitan Police expressed concerns about the cumulative impact of licensed premises in Camden Town, highlighting issues with alcohol-related crime, anti-social behaviour, and drug dealing. They noted that the proposed premises licence holder and the director of associated companies had previous convictions and that illicit tobacco and vapes had been seized from a related business. The Police recommended additional conditions, including restrictions on high-strength alcohol sales and mandatory staff presence. Public Health echoed concerns about the high density of alcohol outlets and the significant alcohol-related harm in the area, citing high ambulance callout rates. They also pointed to the proximity of the premises to services supporting vulnerable individuals with alcohol-related issues. TRACT also objected on the grounds of cumulative impact and public nuisance, requesting conditions to limit alcohol display and sales.

The applicant proposed conditions including CCTV, staff training, a Challenge 25 policy, and an incident log. The Police recommended further conditions, such as restricting the sale of high-strength alcohol and ensuring adequate staffing. Public Health also raised concerns about the premises' practices regarding underage sales, citing a previous test purchase where a vape was sold to a minor.