The Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider a variation to the premises licence for The Swan and Mitre pub. The application sought to extend the pub's opening hours and the times it could serve alcohol and provide entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.

Variation to Premises Licence - Swan and Mitre, Bromley

The committee was scheduled to discuss an application to vary the premises licence for The Swan and Mitre, located at 260-262 High Street, Bromley, BR1 1PG. The application proposed extending the opening hours from 11:59 PM to 1:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays. It also sought to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol, live and recorded music, and late-night refreshment on these days.

The current licence allows for alcohol sales until 11:30 PM, live and recorded music until 11:30 PM, and late-night refreshment until 11:59 PM daily. The proposed variation would extend these to 1:00 AM for alcohol sales and late-night refreshment, and midnight for live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Recorded music and similar activities would also extend to 1:00 AM on these days.

The application also included proposals to remove several existing conditions from the licence, including those relating to a noise limiter, restrictions on entertainment types, and a limit on admissions after 11:00 PM. In their place, a new set of conditions was proposed, covering staff training, the use of CCTV, an incident and refusals log, and the requirement for a risk assessment to determine the need for SIA-licensed door staff on Friday and Saturday nights.

The report pack indicated that two representations were received from members of the public during the consultation period. Both objectors raised concerns that the proposed extension of hours would lead to an increase in noise and antisocial behaviour, adversely affecting their right to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. They specifically highlighted concerns about noise from music, customers arriving and leaving, and associated disturbances such as shouting and littering.

The Metropolitan Police Service had agreed on a revised set of conditions with the applicant. These conditions included requirements for risk assessments regarding door staff, restrictions on new customers and re-admissions after certain hours, a written dispersal policy, CCTV maintenance, and the keeping of incident and refusals logs. The police noted that these proposed conditions offered greater clarity and enforceability than originally offered and were capable of promoting the licensing objectives. However, the report highlighted that the committee would need to consider whether the proposed measures adequately addressed the removal of the existing noise limiter condition.

The committee was asked to determine the application, considering the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2025 to 2030¹ and statutory guidance. They had the option to grant the application in full, grant it with amendments or additional conditions, exclude certain licensable activities, or refuse the application entirely.