The Licensing Review Sub-Committee of Greenwich Council met on Monday 08 December 2025 to consider a review of the premises licence for The Borough Hall, Royal Hill, Greenwich, SE10. The committee resolved to modify the times for licensable activities and impose additional conditions on the premises licence.

Review of Premises Licence for The Borough Hall, Royal Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8RE

The subcommittee considered an application for the review of the premises licence for The Borough Hall, Royal Hill, Greenwich, SE10 8RE, held by Eden Group Operations Limited. The application for review was made by Councillor Pat Slattery and Councillor Aidan Smith on behalf of local residents, citing concerns related to public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

The review application detailed significant disturbances caused by patron dispersal, noise escaping the premises during events, and loading activities occurring at unsociable hours. Residents also raised concerns about poor waste management. While acknowledging that residents supported daytime community activities, the application highlighted that the current management of evening and late-night events was severely impacting their well-being.

The applicant for review sought several specific outcomes: a three-month suspension of the licence to allow for management improvements, a reduction in licensable activities to cease at 9 pm daily (with an exception for two Saturdays per month until 11 pm), the establishment of a specific decibel limit for music, the removal of statutory exemptions for music conditions to ensure enforceability at all times, and operational conditions including restricted loading/unloading times, mandatory parking marshals, a comprehensive waste management plan, a dispersal policy, and a requirement for suppliers to contractually agree to licence conditions.

The licence holder, Eden Group Operations Limited, presented a counter-proposal, agreeing to many of the proposed conditions but rejecting the suspension and the requested reduction in hours, arguing it would make the business unviable. They proposed a comprehensive noise management plan, the installation of a noise limiter, quarterly resident meetings, a revised waste management plan, restricted loading and unloading times between 8 am and 11 pm, and the waiver of the deregulated entertainment exemption.

After considering all written representations, evidence, and oral submissions, the Licensing Sub-Committee resolved to modify the times for licensable activities and impose additional conditions on the premises licence.

Permitted hours for Licensable Activities were modified as follows:

• Sale and supply of alcohol: Sunday to Friday, 11:00 hours to 23:00 hours; Saturday from 11:00 hours to Midnight.
• Live Music, Recorded Music, Indoor Sporting Events, Boxing or Wrestling, Dance, Plays, and Films: Sunday to Friday from 11:00 hours to 23:00 hours; Saturday from 11:00 hours to Midnight.
• Late Night Refreshment: Saturday from 23:00 hours to Midnight.
• Opening Hours of Premises: Sunday to Friday, 09:00 hours to Midnight; Saturday from 09:00 hours to 00:30 hours the next day.

The Premises Licence will be subject to the following additional conditions:

1. A Noise Management Plan (NMP) must be prepared by the licence holder and agreed with Environmental Health within 42 days of the decision. The NMP must include measures to prevent unreasonable noise escape, ensure hourly sound checks of the perimeter, manage customer arrival and departure, ensure the use of a noise limiter and/or other noise attenuation measures, and reduce noise related to customer vehicles or commercial deliveries.
2. A noise limiter must be fitted to the musical amplification system and maintained to the satisfaction of an authorised Environmental Health Officer, ensuring no noise nuisance is caused. The operational panel must be secured, and alterations will require prior written agreement from an Environmental Health Officer.
3. No noise or vibration from the premises shall emanate or be transmitted so as to cause a nuisance.
4. The licence holder shall convene quarterly resident meetings to discuss issues with a view to resolution.
5. A comprehensive waste management plan must be implemented as agreed with an Environmental Health officer.
6. Loading and unloading of commercial supplies or equipment is restricted to between 8 am and 10 pm Monday to Sunday, and must be supervised by a member of staff wherever reasonably practicable.
7. Existing condition 27 of the premises licence, relating to music being inaudible at the façade of nearby noise-sensitive premises, shall cease to apply.
8. Pursuant to section 177A(4) of the Licensing Act 2003, any conditions on this premises licence relating to live or recorded music are to apply and have effect notwithstanding the terms of section 177A and paragraph 12A of Schedule 1 to the Licensing Act 2003. This means that music conditions will apply at all times, regardless of audience size or time of day.
9. At least one parking marshal shall be on duty from 6 pm until the event is closed and dispersal is complete. The marshal shall operate on Peyton Place to advise patrons on responsible parking and minimise noise and disruption during guest arrival and departure.

The Sub-Committee considered all written representations, evidence, and oral submissions. They rejected the licence holder's counsel's submissions regarding residents not wanting the licence holder to operate from Borough Hall, stating that the complaints were properly brought in respect of the licensing objectives. The Sub-Committee found the evidence in support of the licence holder to be of negligible value and could not be believed. The commercial viability of the premises was not considered to be of primary importance, with the decision being based on the promotion of the licensing objectives. The offer of conditions by the licence holder, other than reduced hours, indicated that public nuisance and disturbance were associated with Borough Hall.