The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 22 July 2026 to consider an application to vary a premises licence for Food and Wine Costcutter, located at 169 High Street North, East Ham. The committee granted the application in part, extending the Sunday alcohol sales hours but refusing a request to allow the sale of spirits in smaller 20cl bottles.

Food and Wine Costcutter, East Ham

The Sub-Committee considered an application to vary the premises licence for Food and Wine Costcutter, located at 169 High Street North, East Ham, E6 1JB. The application sought to extend the hours for the supply of alcohol on Sundays to match the hours of Monday to Saturday, from 08:00 to 23:00. Additionally, the applicant requested to amend a condition on the licence to allow the sale of spirits in 20cl bottles, instead of the current minimum of 35cl.

While there were no representations from responsible authorities against the application, a local resident submitted objections. The Sub-Committee noted that the premises is situated within a cumulative impact zone¹, an area identified by the council as having a high concentration of licensed premises which can contribute to issues such as crime, disorder, and public nuisance.

The Sub-Committee granted the extension of Sunday alcohol sales hours, finding that this change would not undermine the licensing objectives. However, the request to permit the sale of spirits in 20cl bottles was refused. The committee reasoned that the applicant had not demonstrated that this change would not add to the existing cumulative impact issues in the area, particularly concerning street drinking. They were mindful of the council's licensing policy, which creates a rebuttable presumption against applications that may exacerbate cumulative impacts. The applicant's inability to explain how they would manage the risks associated with street drinkers, especially in light of the premises' history, contributed to this decision. The Sub-Committee also considered the previous review of the premises' licence in June 2024, which resulted in a four-week suspension and the imposition of robust conditions to address street drinking and anti-social behaviour.