The Licensing Sub-Committee A met and made decisions on two applications for new premises licences, one from Loom Club and one from Esther Anne Place, Islington Square. Applications for a new premises licence for Yard Sale Pizza and for a temporary event notice for Drip were withdrawn prior to the meeting.

Loom Club

The Sub-Committee granted a new premises licence to Loom Club, at Units 20, 22 and 23, 6-8 Northampton Street, N1 2HY. The licence will allow the sale of alcohol from 12:30pm to 10pm Sunday to Thursday and 12:30pm to 10:30pm on Friday and Saturday. It will also permit the screening of films from 11am to 10pm from Sunday to Saturday. The premises will be allowed to open from 6am to 11pm, Sunday to Saturday.

The application had been objected to by local residents, who were concerned about the lack of planning permission for the use of the premises, the potential for noise, and the hours of operation. Residents were particularly concerned about Condition 2 of the licence, which permits private events to be held at the premises. They were concerned that the wording of this condition would allow for large private parties to be held at the venue. They also argued that the applicant had not properly consulted with the local community.

There had been a previous application which was refused and subsequently appealed. There was a concern that this was a second application in the absence of an appeal decision. He considered that there was clear advice that this application did not fall within Class E and was therefore unlikely to comply with planning policy.¹

The applicant argued that the application met the four licensing objectives and would provide a valuable service to the local community. They explained that Loom Club is a co-working space that will offer a range of services to its members, including fitness classes, wellness classes, and events such as cooking workshops. They also emphasised that they had engaged extensively with local residents and the responsible authorities, and had made a number of changes to the application in response to feedback.

The applicants stated that with the increase in working from home it was hoped that this space would be used to build a sense of community and to share vibrant workspace for hundreds of residents. Loom was built on the core values of localism using local independent businesses.

The Sub-Committee decided to grant the licence, as they were satisfied that the applicant would uphold the licensing objectives. A number of conditions were added to the licence, including the requirement for the applicant to hold quarterly residents' meetings. Condition 2 was also amended to make it clear that private events can only be attended by members and their guests. The Sub-Committee also added a condition requiring the applicant to risk assess the need for security staff and 'quiet marshals'.

Esther Anne Place and 116 Upper Street, Islington Square

The Sub-Committee granted a new premises licence for the sale of alcohol at the external and covered shopping areas at Esther Anne Place and 116 Upper Street, N1 1AP. The licence permits the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises on Fridays from 12pm to 7pm, Saturdays from 10am to 5pm, and Sundays and Bank Holidays from 11am to 5pm.

The application had been objected to by local residents, who were concerned about the potential for noise nuisance. The residents argued that the area is surrounded by residential properties and that noise from the premises would be likely to cause a nuisance to residents. They also argued that the applicant had not adequately consulted with residents. The residents were also concerned that the application as it was written did not explicitly link the sale of alcohol to the days on which the market is running.

Residents asked that the licence be a specific licence and linked to the farmers market in order that the licence could not be used if the market was not held.

The applicant argued that the application met the four licensing objectives and would support the continued success of the Islington Square development. They explained that the licence is intended to allow for the sale of alcohol at events such as farmers' markets, and that they would take steps to minimise noise nuisance.

The applicant’s representative stated that modest hours had been applied for and had been amended to reflect the planning consent.

The Sub-Committee decided to grant the licence, as they were satisfied that the applicant would uphold the licensing objectives. The Sub-Committee noted in particular that they did not feel that the application would add to the existing cumulative impact of licensed premises in the area, despite it being within the Special Policy Area (SPA) that covers Angel and Upper Street. The Sub-Committee added several conditions to the licence, including that alcohol can only be sold on days when a market is taking place in the square, and that quarterly meetings must be held with local residents to discuss any concerns.