Here is a summary of the items scheduled for discussion at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on 2 October 2025. The sub-committee, comprised of Councillor Janet Evans, Chair of the Licensing Committee, Councillor Toby Benton, Vice-Chair, Licensing Committee, Family Services Spokesperson, and Councillor Lucy Knight, Chair, Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee, was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence. The report pack includes a report by the Director of Highway and Regulatory Services regarding this application, as well as supporting documents.

It is important to note that this is only a summary of the report pack, and it is not known what was actually discussed or decided at the meeting.

Azteca, 329 King's Road

The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application by Sloane Stanley Estate Limited for a shadow licence for Azteca at 329 King's Road.

According to the report pack, the premises currently has a premises licence that permits:

• Sale by retail of alcohol - On the Premises
• Provision of late night refreshments - Indoors
• Playing of recorded music - Indoors

Sloane Stanley Estate Limited applied for a premises licence to be granted on the same terms as the existing premises licence. The following table compares the current activities and hours permitted with those sought by way of the new grant application:

The designated premises supervisor is Mr Richard Stephen Hans Everett.

The applicant volunteered the following steps to promote licensing objectives:

The application is made on behalf of the landlord to shadow the tenant licence and is based on the exact same terms as the granted licence numbered LICPR/07/023727/3

The licensing authority received one representation opposing the application. The representation stated that the resident has experienced regular ongoing noise disturbance linked to this premises, including amplified music played late in the evening as well as from customers and staff congregating outside the premises during opening hours to smoke and have conversations when the premises closes at 00:30. The representation also stated that the noise issues have had a significant impact on the family's quality of life, and that they are unable to open the window as a result of the noise and smoke. The resident is concerned that granting a shadow licence for this premises may enable the same issue to continue or worsen, even if the current licence is reviewed or revoked, and that this could remove the opportunity for meaningful enforcement, allowing the problems to persist under a new licence holder without proper scrutiny.

According to an email from Matthew Evans, Principal Planning Enforcement Officer, there are no planning restrictions or conditions which the Sub Committee should be aware of.

The Licensing Sub Committee was asked to make a decision on the application, taking into account the representations and the licensing objectives¹. The sub-committee could grant the application in full, modify the conditions of the licence, refuse to specify a person in the licence as the designated premises supervisor, or reject the whole or part of the application.