The Licensing Panel of Harrow Council met on Wednesday 20 August 2025 to consider an application for a new premises licence for Deluxe Off-Licence & Pan Parlour, located at 2 Village Way East, Harrow. The panel decided to grant the licence with modified conditions, imposing restrictions on the sale of single cans, miniature spirits, and high-strength alcohol, and setting the commencement of alcohol sales at 10 am.

Application for a New Premises Licence for Deluxe Off-Licence & Pan Parlour

The Licensing Panel considered an application for a new premises licence for Deluxe Off-Licence & Pan Parlour, located at 2 Village Way East, Harrow, HA2 7LU. The application was made by Janak Kumar Patel, with Anil Bhawsar acting as his licensing agent.

Representations were received from the Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Authority, both raising concerns about the potential undermining of the licensing objectives, specifically the prevention of crime and disorder, prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

The Metropolitan Police had proposed 16 conditions for the licence. The applicant agreed to 12 of these but disagreed with four:

• The sale of alcohol commencing at 10 am (instead of the proposed 7 am).
• Only spirits of 20cl or over in volume being sold.
• No single cans of beer, lager, or cider being sold.
• No cans of beer, lager, or cider over 6% ABV being sold.

The Licensing Authority supported the police's proposed conditions, highlighting that these are standard best practices for off-licences in high-risk areas and are based on local experience and data. They expressed concern that the premises' location near Alexandra Avenue, an area known for street drinking and anti-social behaviour, meant that granting the licence without these safeguards could exacerbate existing problems.

During the hearing, the applicant's agent, Anil Bhawsar, argued that the proposed restrictions were unfair, as other off-licences in the area were selling similar products. He stated that the applicant had experience running off-licences and would implement CCTV and refuse service to those showing signs of intoxication or intending to drink outside the premises. The applicant, Janak Kumar Patel, also stated his willingness to serve shift workers in the early morning and that he did not want to promote excessive alcohol consumption.

PC Siddhartha Bhandari of the Metropolitan Police explained that while some older premises might not have these conditions, new applications were increasingly adhering to them as part of a proactive stance against alcohol-related issues. He noted that the area around Alexandra Avenue experiences significant anti-social behaviour, including street drinking, and that restricting the sale of single cans, miniatures, and high-strength alcohol was a proven method to combat this.

Jhini Mukherjee, Commercial Licensing Team Leader for the Licensing Authority, reiterated these concerns, emphasizing the link between the sale of such products and street drinking, public nuisance, and increased demand on public services. She noted that while the applicant's agent had suggested a potential compromise of restricting alcohol sales until 9 am, the Licensing Authority would be content with a 9 am start.

After deliberation, the panel decided to grant the licence but with modified conditions. The sale of alcohol will commence at 10 am, and restrictions will be placed on the sale of single cans of beer, lager, or cider, and on the sale of beers, lagers, and ciders over 6% ABV. The condition regarding the sale of spirits of 20cl or over was not imposed, meaning miniatures could still be sold. The panel stated that written reasons for their decision would be provided within five working days.