The Licensing Sub-Committee of Redbridge Council met on Thursday 25 June 2020 to consider an application for a new premises licence for Azad Food Centre. The committee decided to grant the licence with a number of stringent conditions.

Application for Premises Licence - Azad Food Centre

The Sub-Committee considered an application for a new premises licence for Azad Food Centre, located at 411 - 413 High Road, Ilford, IG1 1TJ. The applicant, Salman Yalcinkaya, sought permission to sell alcohol 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The premises is situated within the Ilford Town Centre Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), an area designated to address issues of cumulative impact from licensed premises.

Representations against the application were received from the Licensing Enforcement Service, the Enforcement Team, and the Public Health Service, citing concerns about street drinking, anti-social behaviour (ASB), and public nuisance. The Metropolitan Police did not submit any representations.

The applicant's representative, Robert Sutherland, argued that the application was essentially a replacement for a licence that had been mistakenly believed to be in Mr Yalcinkaya's personal name, rather than that of the dissolved company Halka Limited. He highlighted that the premises had been operating for years and that local residents supported the business, as evidenced by a petition and letters of support. Mr Sutherland also pointed to the absence of police objections as significant.

However, officers from the Licensing Enforcement Service and Public Health presented evidence suggesting that the premises contributed to existing problems in the area. Ed Chaplin, Interim Head of Licensing and Consumer Protection, stated that he had observed a street drinker purchasing alcohol from the premises. Priya Cheema, a Licensing Enforcement Officer, reported witnessing someone leaving the premises with an opened can of beer who then joined a group drinking outside. Both officers expressed concerns about Mr Yalcinkaya's understanding of licensing objectives and his willingness to cooperate with efforts to tackle ASB and street drinking. Mr Chaplin also noted that during a visit in July 2019, he observed breaches of the original licence, including issues with CCTV, staff training, and the display of notices.

The Sub-Committee acknowledged that Mr Yalcinkaya had been operating without a valid licence for approximately six years, which is a serious offence under the Licensing Act 2003. They also recognised the significant problems associated with the area, including rough sleeping, street drinking, and ASB, which are further addressed by a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

Despite these concerns, the Sub-Committee decided to grant the premises licence. They accepted Mr Yalcinkaya's contention that he believed he was operating under a valid licence and that his continued operation would not increase the number of off-licences in the CIZ. The committee stated that a licence could, in principle, be granted without prejudice to the licensing objectives with appropriate training and conditions.

The Sub-Committee determined that granting a 24-hour licence was not appropriate given the issues in the CIZ and the applicant's apparent lack of understanding of his responsibilities. Therefore, the licence was granted with conditions, including:

• Mr Yalcinkaya completing an approved licensing course within three months.
• Installation and operation of CCTV systems that capture head and shoulders images of customers and all points of sale, with recordings retained for at least 31 days and made available to authorities within one hour.
• A member of staff capable of operating the CCTV system to be present at all times the premises is open.
• An incident book to be maintained and made available to officers, recording refusals of sale, incidents of violence, and other criminal incidents.
• No beers, lagers, or ciders with an alcoholic strength above 6.5% ABV to be sold.
• Prominent notices to be displayed requesting patrons to leave quietly and dispose of litter.
• A Challenge 25 scheme to be implemented, requiring proof of age for anyone appearing under 25.
• All staff to receive regular training on licensing offences and licence conditions, with records maintained.
• No person under 16 to be on the premises after 9 pm unless accompanied by an adult.

The Sub-Committee concluded that these conditions were appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances.