The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application to vary a premises licence for Frankie's Wine Bar in Hornchurch. The application sought to extend the hours for the supply of alcohol, recorded music, and late-night refreshment on Fridays and Saturdays. The committee was also scheduled to review the procedure for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003.

Application to Vary Premises Licence for Frankie's Wine Bar

The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application from Frankie's Bar (Hornchurch) Limited to vary the premises licence for Frankie's Wine Bar, located at 29 Station Lane, Hornchurch¹. The current licence permits the sale of alcohol, provision of recorded music, and late-night refreshment until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays. The application was to extend these licensable activities, as well as the hours the premises is open to the public, by one hour, until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

The report pack indicated that there were three representations of support for the application from interested persons. However, there were also three representations against the application from responsible authorities: the Licensing Authority, the Metropolitan Police, and Havering's Environmental Protection team.

The Metropolitan Police objected to the application on the grounds of preventing public nuisance and preventing crime and disorder. They submitted that extending the hours would prolong the presence of intoxicated individuals in Hornchurch town centre, increasing the likelihood of alcohol-related crime, disorder, anti-social behaviour, and public nuisance. Police data indicated that between 10 pm and 4 am over the preceding 12 months, 44 offences were recorded in Hornchurch Town Centre, including violence against the person, public order offences, and serious sexual offences. The police also noted four incidents of violence against the person associated with the premises in the two years prior to the application. They acknowledged the proposed additional conditions, such as CCTV and door supervisors, but argued they did not adequately mitigate the risk associated with the extended hours.

Havering's Environmental Protection team also raised concerns about preventing public nuisance. They stated that the Council's Environmental Protection Team had received noise complaints regarding Frankie's Wine Bar in the summer of 2024 and more recently in April and July 2026. They argued that an extension to 2 am would be unreasonable and would increase public nuisance for neighbouring residential properties, particularly those living above the commercial units. They noted that no other premises in the immediate vicinity opened beyond 1 am, meaning any disturbance beyond that hour would be attributable to Frankie's.

The Licensing Authority's representation highlighted that Frankie's Wine Bar is located within a Special Cumulative Impact Policy (SCIP) area for Hornchurch town centre. This policy creates a rebuttable presumption that applications that add to the existing cumulative impact will normally be refused, unless the applicant can demonstrate why the operation will not add to the cumulative impact and not adversely affect the licensing objectives. The Licensing Authority argued that extending hours in a SCIP area is specifically identified as a variation likely to add to cumulative impact, increasing the number of people present during peak risk periods, prolonging alcohol availability, and increasing pressure on emergency services and the likelihood of noise and disturbance.

In contrast, the applicant, Frankie's Bar (Hornchurch) Limited, argued that the application was modest and necessary to sustain the business and safeguard jobs. They highlighted that Frankie's is an award-winning bar with a mature clientele and a good reputation. The applicant proposed a suite of eight additional conditions to promote the licensing objectives, including a dispersal policy, a no late admission policy, SIA door staff on duty during extended hours, enhanced CCTV, and staff training on alcohol sales management. An impact statement from Mr. Edward Charles Chaplin, a licensing agent, supported the application, noting the premises' strong track record and the proposed conditions. Three residents also submitted representations in support of the application, stating they had always found the bar to be well-managed, safe, and respectful of neighbours.

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider the procedure for hearings under the Licensing Act 2003, as outlined in a report from the Clerk. This report detailed the procedural steps for hearings, the roles of participants, and the Sub-Committee's determination process.