The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application to transfer a premises licence for Club 701, located at 516 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5BA. This application was subject to an objection notice from the Metropolitan Police Service.

Club 701 Premises Licence Transfer Application

The main item scheduled for discussion was an application by Eddie Hanson to transfer the premises licence for Club 701, Basement and Ground Floors, 516 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5BA. The application was submitted on 4 April 2024, following a previous decision by the licensing sub-committee on 8 February 2024 to revoke the premises licence previously held by Erico Entertainment Limited.

The Metropolitan Police Service submitted an objection notice on 12 April 2024. The police's concern centres on the practice of transferring a premises licence after a review application has been lodged, arguing that this can be used to circumvent the review and appeal process. This concern is reflected in Southwark's statement of licensing policy, which requires documented proof of business transfer or lawful occupancy to support the contention that a premises is under new management control. The police stated that Eddie Hanson had not provided such documented proof.

The report pack detailed the history of the premises licence, which has been subject to numerous closure notices and licensing inspections due to alleged breaches of licence conditions. This history culminated in a summary review under Section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003, leading to the revocation of the licence on 8 February 2024. An appeal against this revocation was scheduled to be heard at Croydon Magistrates' Court on 24 September 2024.

The report also outlined the relevant sections of the Southwark Council's statement of licensing policy 2021-2026, which guides the sub-committee's considerations. The sub-committee was advised that, in this instance, the primary licensing objective to consider was the prevention of crime and disorder.

The report pack included appendices containing the transfer application itself, the police objection notice, a copy of the current premises licence, notices of decisions from previous sub-committee hearings on 19 January 2024 and 8 February 2024, and a map of the premises location.