The Licensing Sub-Committee of Ealing Council was scheduled to consider a review of the premises licence for AK Food & Wine. The meeting also included procedural guidance for the committee.

Review of AK Food & Wine

The committee was scheduled to consider a review of the premises licence for AK Food & Wine, located at 416 Greenford Road, Greenford, UB6 9AH. The application for review was made by Ealing Council's Licensing Enforcement and Compliance Team.

A report pack detailed that the premises is an off-licence and is situated within a Special Policy Area as defined in the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy. The licensable activities authorised by the current licence include the retail sale of alcohol for off-supplies, with operating hours from Monday to Thursday between 08:00 and 23:00, Friday to Saturday between 09:00 and 23:00, and Sunday between 10:00 and 22:30.

The report indicated that no representations were received from responsible authorities or other interested parties by the deadline of 6 May 2026.

The report pack included a statement from Robert Dear, a Licensing Compliance & Enforcement Officer for Ealing Council, detailing an inspection on Tuesday 23 December 2025. During this inspection, officers reportedly found illicit cigarettes, RYO tobacco, and shisha hidden in various locations within the premises, including outside the shop and behind the counter. Additionally, five different brands of spirits in miniature sizes were found, which were stated to be in breach of condition 17 of the premises licence. In total, 7100 packets of illicit cigarettes, 37 non-compliant vapes, 400g of RYO tobacco, and 8kg of shisha were seized. The unpaid duty was estimated at £3310.

The report stated that the Premises Licence Holder was failing to promote the Prevention of Crime and Disorder licensing objective. It was noted that the trade in illegal goods damages funding for essential public services and undermines legitimate traders, and that such trade is known to fund organised crime. The report recommended that the premises licence be revoked.

The report also drew attention to the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which sets out proposed standards of management and controls to promote the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. It specifically referenced core hours for the provision of late-night refreshment and the supply of alcohol within Town Centre Areas and Local Neighbourhood Areas. The report also outlined considerations for the imposition of licensing conditions, stating that conditions must only be imposed where appropriate to promote one or more of the licensing objectives and should be focused on matters within the control of individual licensees.

The report also referenced legal implications under the Licensing Act 2003, including the right to appeal decisions to a magistrate's court, and considerations under the Human Rights Act 1998, specifically Article 6 (right to a fair trial), Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), and Article 1 of the First Protocol (protection of property).

Panel Procedure Guidance Note

The committee was also scheduled to consider a guidance note outlining the procedure for Licensing Sub-Committee hearings. This guidance detailed the process for presenting applications, making representations, summing up cases, and the subsequent retirement of the Sub-Committee to reach a decision. Decisions are either given at the conclusion of the meeting or provided in writing within five working days.