The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee of Waltham Forest Council met on Tuesday, 16 January 2024. The primary item on the agenda was a decision regarding a premises licence application for Toni Manconi Ltd.

Grant of a Premises Licence: Toni Manconi Ltd

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application for a premises licence for Toni Manconi Ltd, located at 839 High Road, Leytonstone, London E11 1HL. The application sought to permit the sale of alcohol for both on and off the premises from 08:00 to 00:30 daily, late-night refreshments from 23:00 to 01:00 daily, and for the premises to be open to the public from 07:00 to 01:00 daily.

During the consultation period, the licensing service received one representation from the licensing team. This representation raised concerns related to the licensing objectives of the prevention of public nuisance, the prevention of crime and disorder, and the protection of children from harm.

The report pack indicated that the licensing team and the applicant's agent had engaged in mediation, leading to an agreement on several conditions to be added to the premises licence. These agreed conditions aimed to promote the licensing objectives. However, full agreement had not been reached on condition 7, which proposed that Alcohol consumed on the premises will be served ancillary to a table meal. The report pack outlined the potential decisions the sub-committee could make: to grant the application in full, grant it in part, or refuse it. It also detailed the general principles for licence conditions, mandatory conditions applicable to all premises licences, and specific conditions related to the supply of alcohol, responsible drinks promotions, and alcoholic drink measures.

The report pack also included correspondence between the licensing enforcement officer, Sherman Xavier, and the applicant's agent, Matt Lauezzari of Sound Licensing Limited. This correspondence detailed the ongoing discussions and proposed amendments to conditions, particularly concerning the serving of alcohol ancillary to a table meal and the potential for a limited number of customers to be served alcohol in a designated waiting area. There was also a discussion about whether the premises would operate as a restaurant and lounge bar with off-licence sales, or primarily as a restaurant. The licensing team expressed concerns that without specific conditions, the establishment could operate similarly to a bar, which would necessitate different licensing conditions, potentially including the requirement for SIA door staff.

The sub-committee was also provided with the application details for the premises licence, including the applicant's details, the premises address, and the proposed operating schedule. The operating schedule outlined the steps the applicant intended to take to promote the four licensing objectives, including measures for CCTV operation, incident logging, staff training on age verification (Challenge 25), and restrictions on noise from waste disposal.

The report pack also contained information on the procedure for licensing sub-committees, outlining the steps involved in presenting cases, questioning parties, and making decisions. It also detailed the legal framework surrounding licensing, including the Licensing Act 2003 and the guidance issued under section 182 of that Act.

The meeting was scheduled to be held in public, with provisions for the exclusion of the press and public if exempt information was to be discussed, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.