The Licensing Panel of Harrow Council met on Thursday 15 January 2026 to consider an application for a new premises licence for Obi Express, located at 2 Handel Parade, Whitchurch Lane, Edgware, Harrow, HA8 6LD. The panel granted the application, allowing the sale of alcohol for off-premises consumption between 7am and 11pm daily, subject to a comprehensive list of conditions.

New Premises Application Hearing - Obi Express

The Licensing Panel granted the application for a new premises licence for Obi Express, located at 2 Handel Parade, Whitchurch Lane, Edgware, Harrow, HA8 6LD. The licence permits the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises from Monday to Sunday, between 7am and 11pm. The premises will also be open to the public during these hours.

The application had received five objections from members of the public, raising concerns about potential negative impacts on the local environment, including increased litter, noise, and anti-social behaviour. Objectors also cited concerns about an over-concentration of licensed premises in the area, increased risk of crime and disorder, and potential harm to children due to the premises' proximity to a school and community facilities.

However, the Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Authority raised no objections. The applicant's representative, Mr. Semper from The Licensing Guys, argued that the proposed operating schedule and the conditions agreed upon with the police were sufficient to promote the licensing objectives and would not undermine them. He highlighted that the applicant, Muhammad Yahya Chapra, had invested significantly in refurbishing the premises and intended to operate a responsible family-run business.

The panel noted that there was no history of disorder or complaints associated with the premises or the applicant. They also acknowledged that the objections from the public lacked substantive evidence.

The granted licence is subject to 23 conditions, which were agreed upon with the Metropolitan Police and are consistent with the applicant's operating schedule. These conditions include:

• CCTV: Installation and maintenance of a CCTV system covering all public areas, with footage retained for at least 31 days and made available to the police and licensing officers upon request.
• Challenge 25 Policy: Strict implementation of a Challenge 25 policy for alcohol sales, requiring staff to ask for proof of age from anyone appearing under 25.
• Staff Training: Regular training for staff on responsible alcohol retailing, including induction and annual refresher courses.
• Refusal and Incident Logs: Maintenance of logs for alcohol sale refusals and all incidents occurring on the premises.
• Product Restrictions: Limitations on the sale of alcohol, including no sales of spirit miniatures, no single cans of beer, lager, or cider (unless part of a grocery item), and no cans of beer, lager, or cider over 6.5% ABV.
• Delivery Conditions: Specific requirements for alcohol deliveries, including verification of the recipient's age, delivery only to specified addresses, refusal of sales to intoxicated individuals, and engine-off policies for delivery drivers to minimise noise.
• Environmental Measures: Requirements for the immediate vicinity of the shop to be kept clean and free of litter, with rubbish movement restricted between 11pm and 7am.
• Signage: Display of notices requesting customers to leave quietly and indicating that alcohol is for off-premises consumption only.

The panel concluded that these conditions, along with the lack of objections from responsible authorities and the absence of substantive evidence from objectors, addressed their concerns and would ensure the promotion of the licensing objectives.

Councillor Ramji Chauhan chaired the meeting, with Councillors June Baxter and Eden Kulig also present.