The Licensing Sub-Committee of Doncaster Council met on Tuesday 16 September 2025 to consider an application for a new premises licence. Councillor Karl Hughes was scheduled to chair the meeting. Councillors Martin Greenhalgh, Howard Rimmer and Gerald Squire were also scheduled to be in attendance.

Costa Coffee, Argo Drive, Wheatley, Doncaster, DN2 4FR

The sub-committee were scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Costa Coffee on Argo Drive in Wheatley, Doncaster, DN2 4FR.

The application is for the coffee shop to be open 24 hours a day, providing late night refreshment between 23:00 and 05:00.

A member of the public, Debbie Earle, submitted a representation regarding the application, which related to the four licensing objectives¹.

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

Debbie Earle raised concerns that the proposal would impact residents, leading to increased anti-social behaviour and crime in the area. She also stated that residents would feel unsafe walking near the Costa and that there was a risk of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

In a letter, Debbie Earle wrote:

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the proposal for Costa Coffee to operate on a 24-hour basis at Wheatley hall road . While I understand the need for businesses to thrive, I believe that allowing this application poses significant risks to staff welfare and the wider community.

In today's society, where mental health, work-life balance, and staff safety are rightly recognised as priorities, it is highly concerning to expect employees to work through the night. Night shifts are well-documented to have negative effects on physical and mental health, including sleep disruption, stress, and long-term health issues. Furthermore, requiring staff many of whom may be young or on modest incomes—to travel to and from work at unsociable hours raises serious safety concerns.

Beyond the impact on employees, a 24-hour premises may also lead to increased late-night noise, anti-social behaviour, and disturbances for local residents. This would alter the character of the area and place additional strain on local services.

The report pack stated that the sub-committee should consider the application in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003², statutory guidance issued under section 182 of the act, and the council's statement of licensing policy. The report pack included a copy of the application form. The applicant is Costa Limited, a private limited company registered in the UK with Companies House with the registration number 01270695. The agent acting on behalf of the applicant is Matthew Major of Newmark UK.

The application states that the premises has a non-domestic rateable value of £68,500.

The application included the steps that Costa Coffee intended to take to promote the four licensing objectives. These included:

• CCTV
• A staff member from the premises who is fully conversant with the operation of the CCTV system shall be on the premises at all times when the premises are open to the public.
• Keeping an incident log at the premises for at least 12 months, and made available on request to the Police or an authorised officer of the Licensing Authority
• Notices shall be prominently displayed at any area used for smoking requesting patrons to respect the needs of local residents and use the area quietly.

The report pack stated that there were no parts of the report that were exempt, but that relevant sections may have been redacted to comply with Data Protection Legislation³.