The Licensing Sub Committee C of Hackney Council scheduled a meeting to discuss licensing applications for two restaurants, and temporary event notices. The meeting was scheduled to be held remotely and live-streamed. The agenda included the election of a chair, apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the minutes of the previous meeting.

Licensing Applications

The committee was scheduled to consider two applications for premises licences.

QQ Grill Restaurant and Lounge, 331 Wick Road

The committee was scheduled to discuss an application from Mr Olanrewaju Olusegun Kuku to vary the premises licence for QQ Grill Restaurant and Lounge at 331 Wick Road.

The applicant was seeking to extend the permitted licensed hours for all licensable activities on Fridays and Saturdays to 02:00 the following day. The current licence allows:

• Films: Friday and Saturday 11:00-00:00
• Live Music: Friday and Saturday 23:00-00:00
• Recorded Music: Friday and Saturday 23:00-00:00

The Licensing Sub-Committee Report for 331 Wick Road noted that the premises licence was transferred to Mr Kuku in January 2025, and that temporary event notices had been given for the premises on 15 occasions in the previous 12 months, typically to extend opening until 02:00.

The report noted that representations from the Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Protection) and the Fire Authority confirmed that they had no representation on this application. Representations from the Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Enforcement) and the Police had been withdrawn based on agreed conditions.

Three representations had been received from local residents on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. The Licensing Authority also submitted a representation on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance.

The report stated that if the sub-committee was minded to approve the application, the following additional conditions should be applied to the licence:

1) The Premises Licence Holder, DPS or another personal licence holder shall undertake a Daily Risk Assessment taking into account any events taking place locally or any advice received from the MPS (Police) to identify the need for additional staff to be on duty, for additional SIA Licensed Door Supervisors to be on duty or for SIA Licensed Door Supervisors to be on duty for additional hours. Brief details of the Risk Assessment shall be recorded in the Incident Book.

2) From the end of the existing terminal hours for each licensable activity until 02.30 the following day on Friday & Saturday the Premises Licence Holder, DPS or another personal licence holder shall be on duty.

3) An Incident Book shall be kept at the premises, and made immediately available to Police or Authorised Officers including Licensing Authority staff upon reasonable request.

The log shall be completed as soon as is possible and in any case within four (4) hours of the occurrence and shall record the following:

a) All crimes reported to the venue;

b) All ejections of patrons;

c) Any complaints received concerning crime and disorder;

d) Any incidents of disorder;

e) All seizures of drugs or offensive weapons;

f) Any faults in a CCTV system, searching equipment or scanning equipment

g) Where Police are called a CAD number shall be obtained and recorded.

The Incident Book shall either be electronic or maintained in a bound document with individually numbered pages and be retained for at least twelve (12) months from the date of the last entry

4) The Licensee shall ensure that all staff are fully trained and made aware of the legal requirement of businesses to comply with their responsibility as regards the disposal of waste produced from the business premises. The procedure for handling and preparing for disposal of the waste shall be in writing and displayed in a prominent place where it can be referred to at all times by staff.

5) The Licensee shall ensure that any contract for general and recyclable waste disposal shall be appropriate in size to the amount of waste produced by the business. The Licensee shall maintain an adequate supply of waste receptacles provided by his registered waste carrier (refuse sacks or commercial waste bins) in order to ensure all refuse emanating from the business is always presented for collection by his waste carrier and shall not use any plain black or unidentifiable refuse sacks or any other unidentifiable or unmarked waste receptacles.

6) In order to minimise the amount of time any waste remains on the public highway in readiness for collection, the Licensee will ensure the timeframe within which it may expect its waste carrier to collect is adhered to.

7) The Licensee shall instruct members of staff to make regular checks of the area immediately outside the premises and remove any litter, bottles and glasses emanating from the premises. A final check should be made at close of business.

8) The Licensee shall provide a safe receptacle for cigarette ends to be placed outside for the use of customers; such receptacle being carefully placed so as not to cause an obstruction or trip.

9) The current trade waste agreement/duty of care waste transfer document shall be conspicuously displayed and maintained in the window of the premises where it can be conveniently seen and read by persons standing in 331 Wick Road. This should remain unobstructed at all times and should clearly identify: -

the name of the registered waste carrier

the date of commencement of trade waste contract

the date of expiry of trade waste contract

the days and times of collection

the type of waste including the European Waste Code

A Plaice for Lost Soles Restaurant, 379-380 Mentmore Terrace

The committee was also scheduled to discuss an application for a premises licence for A Plaice for Lost Soles Restaurant at 379-380 Mentmore Terrace. A Plaice for Lost Soles Limited had applied for a premises licence for the provision of late night refreshment and supply of alcohol Monday to Sunday.

The applicant was seeking authorisation for the following licensable activities and times:

• Late night refreshment: Friday and Saturday 23:00 - 00:00, and until 00:00 on Sundays immediately before Bank Holiday Mondays.
• Supply of Alcohol (on and off premises): Monday to Thursday 10:00 -23:00, Friday and Saturday 10.00 - 00:00, Sunday 10:00 - 22:30, and until 00:00 on Sundays immediately before Bank Holiday Mondays.

The Licensing Sub-Committee Report for 379-380 Mentmore Terrace noted that representations had been received from the Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Protection), the Police, and one representation from local residents.

The local resident's representation was on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance, with a particular focus on odour and noise. The resident raised concerns about kitchen extraction, customer noise, dispersal, smoking and deliveries/collections.

The applicant, A Plaice for Lost Soles Ltd, sent a letter to the resident in response to their concerns, including a copy of the conditions proposed with the licence application. The letter stated:

We hope that these robust conditions help to address a number of the points raised in your letter, in particular the first condition safeguarding the restaurant use and limiting the opportunities for vertical drinking. We were very happy to offer this condition as the premises will operate as a seafood restaurant that we hope will be a valued addition to your neighbourhood.

We will ensure that we install a modern and robust kitchen extract system that is capable of addressing the concerns you raise. Following your helpful feedback, we will ensure it has plenty of service hatches to facilitate an easy and regular cleaning schedule to protect against odour and noise.

The focus of A Plaice for Lost Soles will be the high-quality food offer, rather than an alcohol-led latenight destination venue. As a result, we are confident that our customers will be respectful and well behaved. Management procedures will be implemented to promote good behaviour and ensure customers arrive and depart via Mentmore Terrace and not via Helmsley Place, meaning you will not be disturbed by customer activity. We will also happily implement a dispersal policy to ensure this is enforced. Similarly, servicing and deliveries will take place via Mentmore Terrace and away from your home on the other side of the railway line.

Temporary Event Notices

The agenda for the meeting included a standing item to consider temporary event notices¹.