The Licensing Sub-Committee met to review the premises licence for NKS Food Centre at 185 Altmore Avenue, following an application from a local resident, Mr Abraham, citing concerns over crime, disorder and public nuisance. After hearing from all parties, the committee decided to modify the licence to include additional conditions, including mandatory thorough staff training within the next month, working closely with the council's licensing team.

NKS Food Centre Licence Review

The sub-committee convened to discuss a review of the premises licence for NKS Food Centre, located at 185 Altmore Avenue. The review was initiated following an application by Mr Abraham, a local resident and business owner of Masila Stores directly opposite NKS Food Centre, who raised concerns about crime, disorder, and public nuisance allegedly stemming from the premises.

Grounds for Review

Mr Abraham's application cited several instances of alleged breaches of the licensing objectives, including:

• Selling single units of beer outside licensing hours.
• Groups of people drinking outside the premises, causing public nuisance.
• The premises opening and selling alcohol early in the morning, after midnight.

Mr Abraham supported his application with photographic evidence and CCTV footage.

Representations

• Support for the Review: Ten emails were received supporting the review, detailing problems in the area.
• Support for NKS Food Centre: Nine emails were received supporting the premises.
• NKS Food Centre Submissions: Further submissions, including CCTV footage and training records, were provided by NKS Food Centre.

Licensing Officer's Report

The licensing officer's report provided a history of the premises licence, including previous reviews and applications for variations. Key points from the report included:

• The premises had held a licence since 2005, with a previous revocation in 2017 that was later appealed.
• A minor variation application in July 2024 was refused due to representations from responsible authorities and residents.
• A full variation application in August 2024 to extend hours and remove conditions was also met with objections.

Licensing Sub-Committee Decision

Following the hearing, the Licensing Sub-Committee resolved to modify the licence with additional conditions. Councillor Tonii Wilson, Chair of Licensing Committee, announced that thorough staff training must take place within the next month, working closely with the council's licensing team. The full written decision, including the reasons for the decision, will be sent to the applicant and other parties within five working days.

Street Drinking and Anti-Social Behaviour

The issue of street drinking in the area surrounding Altmore Avenue was a recurring theme throughout the meeting.

Colin Hunt, Senior Licensing Officer, acknowledged that the area has had issues with street drinkers, particularly in the back streets and along the High Street North. He noted that the council has conducted operations in the area, and that a previous review was conducted for a premises on High Street North.

Steve Jackson, Enforcement and Safety Officer, added that the council conducts weekly meetings to address issues in the area, and that community safety officers patrol the streets to tackle antisocial behaviour. He stated that there had been an improvement in High Street North due to reviews and voluntary conditions implemented at other premises.

Community Impact Zone

The NKS Food Centre is located within a [Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ)](https://www.newham.gov.uk/downloads/file/3387/licensingpolicy2019#:~:text=A%20Cumulative%20Impact%20Zone%20(CIZ,the%20Licensing%20Objectives%20are%20being), an area where there is evidence that the concentration of licensed premises is having a negative impact on the licensing objectives¹.

David Dads, representing Mr Abraham, emphasised that the licence for NKS Food Centre is robust due to its location in a CIZ, and that conditions are in place to prevent street drinking. He argued that breaches of these conditions undermine the licensing objectives.

Allegations and Evidence

Out-of-Hours Sales

Mr Abraham presented evidence, including CCTV footage, alleging that NKS Food Centre had sold alcohol outside of permitted hours. The council's licensing officer confirmed that a warning letter had been issued to the premises for out-of-hours sales in July 2025, based on CCTV evidence.

CCTV Footage Dispute

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing CCTV footage presented by both Mr Abraham and Deshant Mahendran, co-owner of NKS Food Centre. Mr Hopkins, representing Mr Mahendran, raised concerns about the authenticity of Mr Abraham's footage, suggesting it had been edited or tampered with. This was strongly denied by Mr Dads, who affirmed that the footage was genuine.

Mr Mahendran also presented CCTV footage that he claimed showed individuals purchasing alcohol from Masila Stores and then drinking outside NKS Food Centre.

Conduct of Businesses

Mr Abraham alleged that NKS Food Centre attracted street drinkers and contributed to antisocial behaviour in the area. He claimed that he had witnessed people coming from High Street North to purchase alcohol at NKS Food Centre, and that customers of NKS Food Centre often loitered outside the premises, drinking and littering.

Mr Mahendran, in turn, accused Mr Abraham of staging incidents to create a negative impression of NKS Food Centre. He presented footage that he claimed showed Mr Abraham's friend urinating near NKS Food Centre.

Other Licensed Premises

Councillor Colin Hunt provided information on other licensed premises in the vicinity of NKS Food Centre, including their opening hours and licence conditions. He noted that several premises had conditions restricting the sale of high-strength alcohol and single cans.

East Lindsay District Council v If

Mr Dads referenced the case of East Lindsay District Council v If, arguing that businesses operating lawfully can be affected by those acting unlawfully, giving them a competitive advantage. He suggested that NKS Food Centre's alleged breaches of licence conditions could give them an unfair advantage over other businesses in the area.