Here is a summary of the agenda for the Licensing Sub-Committee meeting. The main item for discussion was a new premises licence application for The Basement Lounge. The report pack also included the procedure for licensing hearings.

The Basement Lounge

The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for The Basement Lounge, 3-5 Goodmayes Road, Ilford, IG3 9UH. The applicant is Troy Thompson, director of Base London Inc Limited.

The application is for the following licensable activities:

• Exhibition of Films
• Live Music
• Recorded Music
• Sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises

The proposed hours for these activities are:

• Sunday to Monday: 12:00 until 00:00 hours
• Friday and Saturday: 12:00 until 02:00 hours the following day

The report pack included a general description of the premises:

The application gives a general description of the premises as a shisha lounge located in a basement, under street level. The venue consists of one floor, split into two rooms. The venue intends to sell cocktails, mixers and bottles of alcohol, alongside shisha, mocktails and other soft drinks.

The report pack noted that two objections had been lodged against the application by the Metropolitan Police Licensing Team and the Council's Licensing Enforcement Team, on the grounds that granting the licence could undermine the four licensing objectives¹.

The report pack stated that the sub-committee should consider the Statutory Guidance issued by the Home Office, the council's statement of licensing policy, and all other relevant information before deciding whether to:

• Grant the application
• Grant the application, including the addition of terms and conditions
• Grant the application in part only, including the addition of terms and conditions
• Reject the application

Objections

The report pack included copies of the representations made by the Metropolitan Police and the Council's Licensing Enforcement Team.

PC Dean Birch, Police Licensing Officer, stated that the police were objecting to the application on the grounds of the Prevention of Crime & Disorder, Prevention of Public Nuisance and Public Safety. PC Dean Birch stated that the police believed that the venue would be operating as a nightclub, and that these types of venues attract people who are highly intoxicated, which can lead to higher levels of crime. PC Dean Birch also stated that the operating schedule provided by the applicant was seriously underwhelming for a venue of this type, and that he would expect to see conditions such as club scan², SIA trained door staff, and a dispersal policy³ in place. PC Dean Birch also raised concerns about Troy Thompson's responsibility, stating that the Council Licensing enforcement had provided several examples of the venue operating and providing licensable activity before they had even applied for a premise licence, even after verbal and written warnings.

In response to the police objection, Troy Thompson stated that the previous events that were hosted at the premises without the correct authorisation were mistakes made out of poor understanding of licensing requirements at the time, and not a deliberate disregard for the law, and that those mistakes would not be repeated. Troy Thompson also offered to accept additional conditions on any licence that is granted, including SIA-registered door supervisors, an electronic ID verification system, a written dispersal policy, a noise limiter, an incident and refusals log, CCTV, and no entry or re-entry after 00:00.

Priya Cheema, Licensing Enforcement Officer, stated that the Licensing Enforcement Team's concerns were the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Prevention of Public Nuisance, Public Safety and Protection of Children from Harm. Priya Cheema stated that the premises had been brought to the attention of the Licensing Enforcement Team by the Health and Safety Team, who had visited the premises to do a shisha compliance check and had seen alcohol displayed within the venue. Priya Cheema also stated that on 30th May 2025, a Licensing Enforcement Officer had driven past The Basement Lounge and had seen a queue of people outside, and one SIA doorman letting people into the building. The officer also saw a group of girls who looked between the ages of 16 and 20, one of whom was on the floor very intoxicated and had been vomiting. Priya Cheema stated that the Licensing Enforcement Team believed that the applicant was not a responsible person to hold a premises licence, and that the application should be refused. Priya Cheema also stated that The Basement Lounge does not have planning consent to operate the premises as a shisha lounge or as a drinking establishment, and that there are restrictive covenants placed on the building which state that the premises shall not be used as a place for the sale of alcohol, or as a club or association where alcohol may be sold or supplied.

Licensing Policy

The report pack also referred to the council's statement of licensing policy, which provides guidance to operators of certain premises on the council's primary considerations for certain types of venue. The policy states that applicants should complete a risk assessment prior to submitting their application, and that particular care should be taken where customers use pavement areas to consume alcohol or smoke. The policy also states that premises operating outside framework hours should pay even greater attention to the prevention of crime and disorder and prevention of public nuisance objectives, and ensure they have prepared a robust operating schedule in this respect. The framework hours for public houses, wine bars or other drinking establishments in the Goodmayes area are:

• Mon-Thurs 10:00-23:00
• Fri and Sat 10:00-23:30
• Sun 11:00-22:30

The report pack noted that the application seeks hours significantly beyond the recommended framework hours.

Procedure for Licensing Hearings

The report pack included a document describing the procedure for licensing hearings. The procedure states that the Chair of the Sub Committee shall explain to the parties the procedure that it proposes to adopt at the hearing, and that an officer of the Licensing Authority will present a short factual summary of the application. The sub committee will then consider the evidence in the following order:

• Case on behalf of the Applicant
• Case on behalf of the Responsible Authority making representation

Each party will be given the opportunity to question the other. The sub committee shall then decide the matter in private, and official notice of the decision will be sent to all parties within 5 working days.