The Licensing Sub-Committee of Southwark Council was scheduled to consider an application to vary a premises licence for Monster Sapo Limited. The meeting's agenda also included standard procedural items.

Licensing Act 2003: Monster Sapo Limited, Basement, 9 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TR

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application by Monster Sapo Limited to vary its premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003¹. The premises are located at Basement, 9 Camberwell Church Street, London SE5 8TR.

The application sought to amend the licensable hours for the sale of alcohol, the provision of recorded music, and late-night refreshment. The proposed new hours were significantly later than those currently permitted under the existing licence.

The report pack indicated that the application had attracted representations from responsible authorities and other persons. The Metropolitan Police and the Environmental Protection Team (EPT) had initially submitted representations concerning the potential impact on the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of crime and disorder and the prevention of public nuisance. However, these representations were later withdrawn after the applicant agreed to incorporate a suite of conditions into the licence. These agreed conditions, detailed in Appendix C1 and C2 of the reports pack, included requirements for SIA registered door supervisors, the use of metal detectors and body-worn video, and specific measures to mitigate noise and nuisance.

A representation from a local resident remained outstanding. This representation raised concerns about noise, shouting, singing, and patrons congregating outside the premises, which were described as characterising disturbances. The resident also alleged that the premises had been operating outside its current licensable hours. Concerns were also raised about the potential for increased crime and disorder, particularly in relation to the Camberwell Cumulative Impact Area (CIA)².

The report pack outlined the relevant sections of Southwark's Statement of Licensing Policy 2021-2026³, which guides the determination of licensing applications. It highlighted that the premises falls within the Camberwell CIA and detailed recommended operating hours for different types of licensed premises within residential areas. The report noted that the proposed hours in the application exceeded these recommendations.

The report also detailed the premises' history, including previous Temporary Event Notices (TENs)⁴ and visits by the Night Time Economy Team, which had identified instances of operating beyond permitted hours and breaches of licence conditions.

The sub-committee was asked to consider the application in light of the Licensing Act 2003, the guidance issued under Section 182 of the Act, and Southwark's Statement of Licensing Policy. The report emphasised that decisions must be based on evidence and made with due regard to the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.