The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council was scheduled to consider an application for a premises licence for Lakers Chicken, located in Romford. The meeting's agenda also included a report on the procedure for hearings.

Application for a Premises Licence - Lakers Chicken

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application for a premises licence for Lakers Chicken, situated at Unit 2A, 2-4 Eastern Road, Romford RM1 3PJ. The application was submitted by Littlemore Foods Ltd. under section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The applicant sought permission for late-night refreshment activities, with proposed operating hours from 11:00 to 02:00 from Sunday to Wednesday, and from 11:00 to 05:00 from Thursday to Saturday. The application also included provisions for both on-site consumption and takeaway/delivery services.

The report pack indicated that while no representations were received from local residents, three representations were lodged by responsible authorities: the Metropolitan Police, the Licensing Authority, and Havering's Environmental Health Department.

The Police objected to the application, citing concerns about potential increases in crime and disorder, risks to public safety, and anti-social behaviour. They highlighted that the proposed hours extend beyond Havering Council's Licensing Policy for the Romford Town cumulative impact zone (CIZ) and noted that the venue's location opposite Romford train station, a busy transport hub, could exacerbate issues.

Havering's Licensing Authority also raised objections, primarily focusing on the premises' location within a significant crime hot-spot and a CIZ. They argued that the requested terminal hours were outside the council's policy guidelines and that the application did not adequately acknowledge or address the cumulative impact on the area. The Licensing Authority also expressed concerns regarding the protection of children from harm, noting the absence of specific safeguarding measures in the operating schedule, particularly given the late hours requested.

The report pack also detailed the procedure for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003, outlining the roles of participants, procedural steps, and the sub-committee's determination process. This included information on how representations are considered and the options available to the sub-committee, such as modifying licence conditions or rejecting the application.