The Licensing Panel of Harrow Council met on Tuesday 16 July 2024 and refused an application to transfer a premises licence for Delhi Darbaar, located at the 1st Floor, Eurotraveller Hotel, 56-60 Northolt Road, HA2 0AD. The decision was made after considering representations from the police regarding concerns about crime and disorder.

Application to Transfer Premises Licence for Delhi Darbaar Refused

The Licensing Panel resolved to refuse the application to transfer the premises licence for Delhi Darbaar, located at the 1st Floor, Eurotraveller Hotel, 56-60 Northolt Road, Harrow, HA2 0DW. The application was made by Aarti Banqueting Limited to transfer the licence from London Kadai Limited.

The panel considered various factors, including written and oral representations, the Licensing Act 2003, statutory guidance, Harrow Council's Licensing Policy, and the Human Rights Act 1998.

During the hearing, the applicant's representative explained that the transfer was necessary due to a falling out between the two parties currently running the business. They stated that Aarti Banqueting handled the banqueting side, while London Kadai Ltd held the licence. The applicant also addressed objections raised by the police, suggesting there was confusion regarding the disclosure of CCTV footage to the Metropolitan Police. They asserted that if the transfer were granted, a designated premises supervisor would be in place, and licensing objectives would be promoted. Regarding an incident on 27 April 2024, the applicant stated it occurred outside the premises after closing.

However, PC Bhandari, representing the Police, who objected to the application, informed the panel that they were unaware of who was currently running the business and had received no response to multiple emails and calls. PC Bhandari stated he still did not know who was in charge and who he should engage with. The police expressed significant concern about the incident on 27 April 2024, reporting that when they arrived, people were cleaning inside and families were still present. No designated premises supervisor or manager came forward, and no one was willing to take responsibility. The panel was also told that no one knew how to operate the CCTV system, which should be supplied within 24 hours under the current licence, and that a person was seriously injured on the night. The police also noted evidence of another party on 29 June 2024, which continued past 12:35 am, again with no manager identified and no CCTV supplied. The police were concerned about a lack of engagement with authorities.

The panel gave significant weight to the police's representations, noting that no party appeared to be fully engaged with them. They concluded that the licensing objectives were not being met and had little faith they would be in the future. The panel highlighted several concerns: the apparent disarray in the management of the premises licence, a lack of clarity on who was in charge, no one taking responsibility, and a failure to provide CCTV on request. They also noted that Aarti Banqueting Limited, the applicant, seemed involved in the business's operation, but their exact role and communication with the police were unclear.

Ultimately, the panel was not confident that the licensing objectives would be upheld if the licence were transferred, particularly concerning the crime prevention objective. Therefore, the application was refused.

Any party aggrieved by this decision has the right to appeal to the local Magistrate's Court within 21 days of notification.