The Licensing Sub-Committee of Ealing Council met on Wednesday, 3 September 2025, to consider a new premises licence application for The Corner Shop. The meeting was held virtually and was available to view via a live webcast on the council's YouTube channel.

New Premises Licence Application: The Corner Shop, 6 Beaconsfield Road

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for The Corner Shop, located at 6 Beaconsfield Road, Southall, UB1 1DW. The applicant, Mr Sukhpal Singh Chopra, was seeking permission to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises.

The proposed hours for retail sale of alcohol were:

• Monday to Thursday: 08:00 to 23:00
• Friday and Saturday: 10:00 to 00:00
• Sunday: 11:00 to 23:00

According to the report pack, the sub-committee had several options regarding the application, including:

• Granting the application in full
• Granting the application subject to conditions consistent with the operating schedule
• Granting the application subject to revised conditions consistent with modifications to the operating schedule as are necessary to promote the licensing objectives
• Rejecting the application in part or in full

The report pack noted that the premises is located within a Special Policy Area (SPA) as defined in the council's statement of licensing policy. According to the Licensing Authority's Enforcement & Compliance Team, the representation was made in relation to the prevention of crime and disorder and prevention of public nuisance licensing objectives.

Objections to the Application

The council received representations from both the Licensing Authority's Enforcement & Compliance Team, and the Metropolitan Police, objecting to the granting of the license.

Robert Dear, Regulatory Services Officer - Licensing, stated that the borough has over 1300 premises licences, 48% of which are off licences with the most being in the Southall area. He noted that the premises had been licensed since 2 July 2020, and the premises licence was transferred to Mr Harvinder Singh, who was also the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) on 9 September 2020. These premises were previously named Singh Superstore.

Robert Dear stated that this was the second application for a new premises licence at the location, and that following licensing visits accompanied by an officer from Trading Standards, an application was made to review the premises licence on 23 March 2023. He stated that in total over the 2 visits 1260 cigarettes, 1 50g pouch RYO tobacco, 5 litres stolen spirits, wine and Champagne and 3.85kg Indian tobacco were seized and that the unpaid duty on the products amounted to over £1000.00.

Robert Dear stated that on 10 May 2023, following a sub-committee hearing, the members made the decision to revoke the licence, a decision that was appealed in June 2023, enabling the premises to trade for a further 12 months. He stated that the appeal was then withdrawn 2 days prior to the appeal hearing at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on 11 June 2024, and a new application was submitted on 6 June 2024.

Robert Dear stated that the reason that the appeal was withdrawn was that it was revisited on 23 April 2024 and Mr Harvinder Singh was behind the counter, on the floor behind him was a carrier bag which contained 1000 counterfeit cigarettes.

Robert Dear stated that the application was for a new premises licence in the Special Policy area in Southall, that was adopted due to the data indicating rises in ASB and alcohol related crime & disorder. He quoted from the policy:

Para 2:12 states that the policy is intended to be strictly applied, Exceptions must be genuinely exceptional .

One possible circumstance is "Substitute one premises for another, where the size and location of the second (new) premises and the hours sought are the similar to the previous Premises Licence granted at this site. This will not be a substitution as the premises quite rightly lost its Premises Licence, a decision that were upheld following the withdrawal from the Appeal process. Under this section it is meant to deal with premises that have closed nearby.

Para 2:13 Exceptions unlikely to be made on grounds of .

That the Premises will be well managed – It is unknown whether the applicant has previously held a Premises / Personal Licence and has ever been a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). This is unknown.

There are no dwellings nearby – These premises are situated in a highly residential area with more properties above the commercial units.

Robert Dear stated that the applicant in his operating schedule has submitted standard conditions and he has also offered the condition that no miniatures (5cl) will not be sold. He stated that the plan shows that alcohol will be the main products and will amount to 50 – 60% of the stock in the shop, and that the applicant has stated that Mr Harvinder Singh involved in the previous premises, will not be involved in the new venture. Robert Dear stated that this was a fact that is highlighted above.

Robert Dear stated:

This is a condition offered by the new buyer however he will not be able to adhere to it as the named person is in fact the leaseholder who still be allowed in the premises.

He has sent in a letter to state that a new lease in his name has been sort from the freeholder, in that document he states that if the freeholder does not agree to the request then an application to add him to the current lease in the name of Harvinder Singh will be made, this makes the offered condition nonsense.

There is also nothing stopping the Sub-lease/Management agreement being transferred back to Mr Harvinder Singh if a new Licence was to be granted.

Robert Dear stated that in a 250 - metre radius of the shop there are currently Four (4) premises permitted for OFF sales, and that on most days and particularly after 5pm you can see groups of males drinking strong alcohol in the street, especially near to the shop in groups and on street corners. He stated that this just makes the area intimidating especially for lone females and vulnerable people, and that there has also been a noticeable increase in violent incidents and ASB in the area involving drunk males, and a recent complaint was made by a business in the same parade that their staff are being intimidated by drunks around the back of the shop in the car park.

Robert Dear stated that the shop is on the route between 2 of the busiest and troublesome Roads, those being King Street and South Road where shoplifting and alcohol related ASB are at the highest, and that the premises was previously known for receiving stolen products especially alcohol.

Robert Dear recommended that the application is refused in full as he did not believe that there are any conditions that would allay his concerns and would only have a further negative impact on the area not due to just the number of other off licences in the area but in particular premises that have been known to be non-compliant.

Police Constable Anu Mittu 3692WA also submitted a representation regarding the application for a new premises licence at 6 Beaconsfield Road, Southall, UB1 1DW, The Coner Shop. PC Anu Mittu stated that this premises was formerly called Singhs Superstore and had its licence revoked.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the premises is located on a busy road, amongst other businesses and licenced premises, and that there are also residential properties within proximity, as well as Southall Community College a short distance away. PC Anu Mittu also stated that Blair Peach Primary School is present on Beaconsfield Road.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the premises is located within a Special Police Area, and that the Special Policy Area (SPA) was put in place, due to the area being largely affected by crime and anti-social behaviour, more so than other areas on the borough. PC Anu Mittu stated that the London Ambulance Service also has a high volume of alcohol related calls to this area.

PC Anu Mittu stated that with an SPA in place, the onus is put on the applicant to demonstrate that if the premises is granted a premises licence, it will not be adding to the existing problems in the area, and that there is also a Public Spaces Protection Order¹ in place for the whole of the London borough of Ealing.

PC Anu Mittu stated that Southall is known to be a problematic area for street drinking and there has been an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour, with males loitering on the streets and drinking alcohol. PC Anu Mittu stated that this in turn leads to urinating in the street, littering and making members of the public feel unsafe when walking by them, in particular, women and children as well as vulnerable adults, and that there are also assaults that occur between these drunk males which gives a general feeling of the area being unsafe as this location appears to be a magnet for ASB/crime and disorder, but also people with substance abuse issues.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the individuals usually arrive with alcohol, which is shop bought bottled cider, beer/lager and spirits and they drink throughout the day, and that this usually ends up with drunk males passing out on benches where available, side streets car parks and alleyways, in turn leading to a police and/or LAS response.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the reason why a SPA was introduced was because it was recognised the serious public nuisance and crime and disorder/ASB that is generated and is fuelled by the presence of alcohol in communities, and that the granting of an SPA is the boroughs response in being able to limit and deal with such premises in order that they do not have a culminative impact on the community who reside and work there. PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police believe the granting of this licence would add to the culminative impact on the community.

PC Anu Mittu stated that there has also been an increase in thefts from convenience stores and supermarkets, whereby the suspects later sell their stolen goods onto other convenience stores, and that along with this comes shop staff being assaulted or threatened during the shoplifting taking place.

PC Anu Mittu stated that Beaconsfield Road is located at the junction with South Road, and that South Road, like most areas within an SPA, have issues around street drinkers/class A drug users and homelessness. PC Anu Mittu stated that often these issues go hand in hand, and that South Road has a high footfall and is frequented by people with such issues. PC Anu Mittu stated that on South Road there are also numerous shops that sell alcohol, and that one premises on South Road has concrete benches directly outside which are used by street drinkers/ class A drug users and the homeless to sit and often pass out due to being intoxicated. PC Anu Mittu stated that street drinkers who are often homeless use the carparks located at the rear of business premises close to this in question premises to sleep and cause businesses and their customers problems, and that this makes the area feel unsafe and is deeply unpleasant for people going about their business.

PC Anu Mittu quoted PCSO El-Mesfioui 7134WA who works on Southall Broadway SNT:

'In relation to Beaconsfield Road we have had several drink related issue in the past couple of months where we are having to deal with drunks sleeping outside Southall Community College and altercations taking place with Campus security so much so that they have to put up high fences around the college to prevent this. The service yards and car parks by the restaurants more specifically the Amigos burger restaurant on Beaconsfield Road which has a car park behind it are also having the same issues'- Connect 1349/03042025

PC Anu Mittu stated that the premises in question has had some problems regarding be able to uphold the law and also in promoting the licencing objectives, so much so that following a hearing on 10/05/2023, the subcommittee revoked the licence of Mr Harvinder Singh, who was the previous PLH and is also the current leaseholder of the premises. PC Anu Mittu stated that the revocation of his premises licence happened following numerous visits with Ealing Councils Enforcement team and Trading Standards whereby stolen alcohol and illegal tobacco were found.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the application has included paperwork titled 'Agreement for the Sale of Lease', and that the terms of the lease are concerning. PC Anu Mittu stated that essentially it states that the seller shall 'USE THEIR BEST EFFORTS TO REQEST THE LANDLORD GRANT A NEW LEASE AND TRANSFER THE SAME TO THE BUYER WITHOUT ANY ADDITONAL MONEY', and that there is no guarantee the landlord will grant this, especially without demanding more money for this to be done. PC Anu Mittu stated that therefore, Mr Harvinder Singh will still have an involvement with this business in some shape or form.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the document goes onto state, 'IN THE EVENT THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TRANSFER THE LEASE SOLELY UNDER THE NAME OF THE BUYERS, THEN THE SELLER AGREES TO ADD THE BUYERS NAME ALONGSIDE HIS ON THE LEASE', and that again, this is not satisfactory as we have no confidence that Mr Harvinder Singh, remaining on the lease of the premises removes him sufficiently enough from the business.

PC Anu Mittu stated that what is also concerning when we look at the application is following was included as a condition on the application:

'17. Previous management who owned this business or had any involvement Mr Harvinder Singh, Miss Tamanjeet Kaur Gabha and Mr Neepal Singh shall not be allowed to enter the property, they shall be banned from the premises.'

PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police have concerns about these people remaining involved in the business but also how banning them from entering the property could be enforced, and that furthermore, should Mr Harvinder Singh not be successful in removing himself from the lease how could he be banned from entering a premises he is the leaseholder of. PC Anu Mittu stated that they believe this could prove to be problematic.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the applicant is Mr Sukhpal Singh Chopra, and that they have no knowledge if Mr Chopra is an experienced PLH and DPS nor how long he has had his personal licence, and that they also do not know if Mr Chopra has ever run an off-licence, but also what his experience is in operating such a business within an SPA.

PC Anu Mittu stated that whilst they welcome the conditions in the application, there is nothing exceptional about the conditions or the application itself, and that the conditions we see in this application are increasingly becoming standard conditions which are having little to no effect in promoting the licencing objectives in the area. PC Anu Mittu stated that these conditions are now seen as 'run of the mill' which are included to placate responsible authorities from objecting to premises licence applications within SPA's, and that premises selling alcohol are causing problems within these SPA areas.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police object to this application outright because the area is well known for street drinkers/Class A drug users and homeless people, which often go hand in hand, and that the area is already saturated with convenience stores selling alcohol. PC Anu Mittu stated that there are multiple premises on this road alone already selling alcohol, and that there are carbon copies of this proposed business on Beaconsfield Road, and South Road. PC Anu Mittu stated that in fact, convenience/off licence stores are seen up and down Southall Broadway, South Road, King Street, Western Road, The Green and Beaconsfield Road, and that there is nothing unique about this application and what services it wants to provide the community. PC Anu Mittu stated that Southall has the highest concentration of off licences on the borough of Ealing, and that this area does not need another off licence to compound the existing issues which are played out on the streets with Crime and disorder/ASB.

PC Anu Mittu stated that if this application is granted The Metropolitan Police believe it will only increase anti-social behaviour in the area and will lure more street drinkers to it, rather than deter them, and the licensing objectives will not be promoted.

PC Anu Mittu stated that the application does not have a USP (Unique selling point), and that this premises is within an SPA with existing issues regarding Crime/ASB, the driver of which is excessive alcohol consumption and drugs. PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police believe this should not be overlooked, and that furthermore, granting a license in an SPA must be done in 'genuinely exceptional' circumstances, and that 'Exceptions must be genuinely exceptional'. PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police see nothing exceptional in this application to warrant a premises license to be granted, and that the applicant has not demonstrated how his business will not add to the already existing issues in this SPA which have been documented within this representation. PC Anu Mittu stated that the Metropolitan Police believe opening of another off license in an area already blighted by these issues will add to the existing cumulative impact in the area, and that they believe therefore that three (3) of the licensing objectives- Public safety, Prevent Public Nuisance and To Prevent Crime and Disorder will not be promoted.

Panel Procedure Guidance Note

The sub-committee were also provided with a Panel Procedure Guidance Note, outlining the steps to be followed at the hearing. This included the applicant presenting their case, followed by representations from those who had raised objections.