The Licensing Sub-Committee of Sutton Council was scheduled to consider a variation to a premises licence for Cheam Park Cafe. The meeting's agenda also included a review of the council's licensing hearing procedures.

Licence Application for Cheam Park Cafe

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application to vary the premises licence for Cheam Park Cafe, located at Cheam Recreation Ground, Tudor Close, Cheam, SM3 8QS. The proposed variation sought to add off-sales to the licence and extend the licensable hours for alcohol. The applicant requested to be able to sell alcohol from 09:30 am to 10:00 pm from Sunday to Friday, and from 09:00 am to 10:00 pm on Saturdays. The application also included a request to remove an existing condition on the current licence.

The report pack indicated that the Metropolitan Police initially raised concerns about the application, but these were addressed through amendments to the applicant's operating schedule. However, five valid representations were received from Other Parties, raising concerns related to the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder, public nuisance, and protecting children from harm. These representations highlighted potential issues such as increased litter and detritus in the park, concerns about early morning alcohol sales, the potential for anti-social behaviour, and the impact on families and young children using the park. Some representations also noted the proximity of other retailers selling alcohol and questioned the need for extended hours, particularly given that the park gates are locked after dusk.

The report pack outlined the options available to the Sub-Committee, which included granting the application as requested, granting it with conditions, excluding certain licensable activities, or rejecting the application. Any granted licence would be subject to mandatory conditions under the Licensing Act 2003 and conditions arising from the applicant's operating schedule, as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report pack.

Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings Procedure

The committee was also scheduled to review the council's procedures for licensing hearings. This procedure note, last updated in September 2021, outlines how the Licensing Committee and its Sub-Committees manage hearings under the Licensing Act 2003. It details the process for applications, representations, and the conduct of hearings, including the roles of applicants, responsible authorities, and other interested parties. The document also covers aspects such as the election of a chair, declarations of interest, and the procedures for dealing with urgent business and minutes from previous meetings.

The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA. The report pack also included information on fire precautions at the Civic Offices¹.