The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council met on Tuesday 23 April 2024 to consider an application to vary the premises licence for Tasty African Food, located at 57-59 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0EZ. The committee granted the application with modified hours and imposed several new conditions.

Variation of Premises Licence for Tasty African Food

The Licensing Sub-Committee granted the application made by Anthony Abiodun Adams to vary the premises licence for Tasty African Food. The decision was made after considering representations from the applicant, the Metropolitan Police, the Environmental Protection Team, and six local residents.

The approved variation allows for the following amended hours:

• Sale by retail of alcohol (on sales): Sunday to Thursday: 09:00-22:30; Friday to Saturday: 09:00-23:30
• Recorded Music: Sunday to Thursday: 09:00-23:00; Friday to Saturday: 09:00-23:30
• Late Night Refreshment: Friday to Saturday: 23:00-23:30
• Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday: 09:00-23:00; Friday to Saturday: 09:00-00:00

The sub-committee noted an error in the conditions agreed with the Metropolitan Police regarding off-sales, as the applicant had not applied to vary these provisions. Consequently, these specific conditions were removed.

Several new conditions were imposed on the licence to address concerns raised by residents and responsible authorities. These include:

• Encouraging patrons to use public transport and updating the premises' website accordingly.
• Providing a dedicated telephone number, prominently displayed within the premises, for residents to contact for conflict resolution.
• Implementing a comprehensive dispersal policy, with staff training and clear procedures for managing customer egress, taxi use, and waste disposal.
• Ensuring CCTV systems cover all public areas, both interior and exterior, and that footage is retained for 31 days.
• Nomination of a staff member to act as a warden during closing times to encourage patrons to leave quietly.
• Requirement for at least one SIA registered door supervisor to be employed from 22:00 until 15 minutes after the premises' terminal hour on Fridays and Saturdays, to manage entry, security, and behaviour.
• Prohibition of alcohol and glassware being removed from the premises after 00:00.
• Maintenance of an incident log to record various occurrences, with staff trained in its use.
• A zero-tolerance policy towards illegal drug use, with staff training and clear signage in toilets.
• Support for initiatives such as Ask for Angela and participation in any local Pubwatch scheme.

The sub-committee considered the applicant's history, noting that while there had been some past issues, the premises had generally been well-managed. They acknowledged the applicant's efforts to reconcile with residents by significantly reducing the requested hours. The decision to grant the variation with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays was made to allow the business to grow, while aiming to mitigate concerns about noise and nuisance through the imposed conditions. The sub-committee also noted that the premises is not located within a cumulative impact area (CIA).