The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Dynasty, a venue located at 251 Old Brompton Road, London, SW5 9HP. The application sought to extend the licensable activities and operating hours of the premises.

Application for a Premises Licence at Dynasty

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application by Mr Toni Mema for a new premises licence for Dynasty, located at 251 Old Brompton Road, London, SW5 9HP. The application proposed extending the hours for live music, playing of recorded music, performance of dance, provision of late-night refreshments, and the sale of alcohol.

The current licence for Dynasty permits live music and dance indoors on Fridays and Saturdays from 7pm to midnight, with recorded music and late-night refreshments available from 8am to midnight daily. Alcohol sales are permitted from midday to midnight daily. The premises also has non-standard timings for Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, and New Year's Eve, extending closing hours to 2:30 am.

The new application sought to significantly extend these hours. Specifically, it proposed:

• Performance of live music, playing of recorded music, and performance of dance (Indoors): Sunday to Wednesday from 8am until 1:30am, and Thursday to Saturday from 8am until 2am.
• Provision of late-night refreshments (Indoors): Sunday to Wednesday from 11pm until 1:30am, and Thursday to Saturday from 11pm until 2am.
• Sale by retail of alcohol (On the Premises): Sunday to Wednesday from 8am until 1am, and Thursday to Saturday from 8am until 1:30am.
• Opening hours of the premises: Sunday to Wednesday from 8am until 1:30am, and Thursday to Saturday from 8am until 2am.

The application included a statement from the applicant, Mr Mema, and proposed conditions to promote the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. These proposed conditions were detailed in Appendix B of the report pack¹.

Representations Received

The report pack indicated that relevant representations had been made concerning the application. These included a representation from Mr Matt Mcllroy on behalf of the Environmental Health Noise and Nuisance team, raising concerns about public nuisance. Mr Mcllroy suggested a reduction in hours to 1am with customers off the premises by 1:30am to allow for staggered dispersal of customers, noting that the premises is located near another late-night venue, The Troubadour, which also closes at 2am. He highlighted existing complaints about late-night noise in the area and expressed concern that another licensed premises would exacerbate these issues.

In addition to the Environmental Health representation, seventeen other representations opposing the application were received. These objections, detailed in Appendix E of the report pack², raised a range of concerns, including:

• Noise disturbance from music and patrons leaving the premises late at night, impacting residents' sleep and quality of life.
• Congestion and potential anti-social behaviour from patrons congregating outside.
• Worsening of existing problems caused by other late-night venues nearby.
• Concerns about the impact on families and children due to late-night disruption.
• The argument that the premises already operates more like a nightclub than a restaurant, and that the proposed late hours represent a significant change in character inappropriate for a residential conservation area.
• Public safety risks, including overcrowding, litter, broken glass, and intoxicated behaviour.
• Fears of increased crime and disorder, such as fights, urination, and drug use.
• Anticipated nuisance in surrounding streets from late-night dispersal of patrons.
• Concerns about increased litter and environmental impact.
• The potential for the application to set a precedent for further late-night licences in the area.

The report also noted that five noise complaints had been received in the preceding 24 months, and that the premises had been subject to 13 Temporary Event Notices³ in the past year. There were no identified issues relating to planning consent.

The Licensing Sub-Committee was asked to consider these representations and decide whether to grant the application in full, modify the conditions, refuse to specify a designated premises supervisor, or reject the application in whole or in part, all with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives. The committee was also directed to have regard to the Secretary of State's Guidance⁴ and the Council's own Statement of Licensing Policy⁵.