The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council met on Thursday 3 July 2025 to consider an application for a new adult gaming centre and to deal with any urgent business. Councillor Renata Hamvas was scheduled to chair the meeting.

Admiral, 193-221 Southwark Park Road

The main item on the agenda was an application by Luxury Leisure for a premises licence under the Gambling Act 2005 for an adult gaming centre at Admiral, Unit 1, 193-221 Southwark Park Road, London SE16 3TU.

Luxury Leisure described the premises in their application as:

located on the ground floor of a three storey building with residential floors above, in a busy high street among mixed uses including retail.

We are a national operator with extensive experience and hold all necessary licences under the Gambling Act 2005. Through our sister company, Talarius Limited, we have traded in Southwark for many years at out sits at 206 Southwark Park Road, 2 Rye Lane, 38 Denmark Hill and 281 Walworth Road. We will close the site at 206 Southwark Park Road before we open the application premises as an adult gaming centre.

According to the report pack, there were no listed hours of operation for the premises, and the sale of alcohol would not be permitted.

Three representations were received during the consultation period, and were considered borderline in validity. The report pack stated that these representations made reference to the premises being a potential source of crime and disorder and that it could have a negative impact on vulnerable persons in the locality.

The report pack noted that 37 representations were rejected because they were received outside of the consultation period, and that public health is not a consideration under the Gambling Act 2005. It also noted that any reference to the abundance of other similarly-licensed premises or cumulative impact must be disregarded as neither the Gambling Act nor the the statutory guidance issued by the Gambling Commission provide for it.

The report pack included a copy of the Southwark Council Statement of Gambling Licensing Policy 2025-2028. The purpose of the policy is to make clear to applicants what considerations will be taken into account when determining applications and should act as a guide to the sub-committee when considering the applications. The sub-committee were reminded to consider each application on its own merits and allow exceptions to the normal policy where these are justified by the circumstances of the application.

The sub-committee was reminded of its duty under section 17 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 when making its decision to do all it can to prevent crime and disorder in the borough.