The Licensing Sub-Committee of Ealing Council was scheduled to consider an application to review the premises licence for Lady Margaret Superstore. The meeting's agenda also included procedural guidance for the committee.

Review Application for Lady Margaret Superstore

The primary item scheduled for discussion was an application to review the premises licence for Lady Margaret Superstore, located at 480 Lady Margaret Road, London, UB1 2NW. This review was initiated by the Ealing Council Licensing Enforcement and Compliance team.

The report pack indicated that the committee was asked to consider various potential actions regarding the licence, including:

• Modifying the conditions of the licence.
• Excluding a licensable activity from the licence.
• Suspending the licence for a period not exceeding three months.
• Revoking the licence.
• Leaving the licence as it is.

The application for review was based on concerns related to the Prevention of Crime & Disorder licensing objective. Evidence presented in the report pack detailed a joint compliance visit by Licensing officers and Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers on Saturday, 31 May 2025. During this visit, officers reportedly found non-compliant vapes and beers with ABVs ranging from 5% to 9% that were not price-marked, a breach of condition 29 of the premises licence. The report also highlighted concerns about the employment of illegal workers and the selling of illicit products.

The report pack outlined the Ealing Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which includes core hours for licensable activities. For premises selling alcohol off the premises, the core hours are Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 23:30, and Friday to Saturday and Bank Holiday Sundays from 10:00 to 00:00 (midnight). The policy also states that applications outside these core hours will be considered on their own merit, taking into account factors such as operating schedules, proximity to residential accommodation, and the ability to demonstrate systems for customer dispersal.

The report also referenced the legal implications under the Licensing Act 2003, which requires licensing authorities to promote four key objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. It also noted the relevance of the Human Rights Act 1998, particularly Article 6 (right to a fair trial), Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life), and Article 1 of the First Protocol (protection of property).

Further information within the report pack included a witness statement from Robert Dear, a Licensing Compliance & Enforcement Officer, detailing the findings of the visit on 31 May 2025 and a subsequent visit on 5 December 2025. A witness statement from Adam Goodchild, an Immigration Officer, was also included, detailing the arrest of an individual suspected of being an illegal worker. The report also contained the current Premises Licence for Lady Margaret Superstore, outlining its authorised activities and conditions.

The report pack also proposed additional conditions to be added to the premises licence, including the removal of the condition regarding high-strength alcohol and its replacement with a stricter condition, and the addition of conditions relating to the sale of alcohol, staff training, storage, and the purchase of stock. These proposed conditions were intended to address the concerns raised during the review.

Panel Procedure Guidance Note

The committee was also scheduled to consider a Panel Procedure Guidance Note. This document would have outlined the procedural steps to be followed during the Licensing Sub-Committee hearings, including the roles of the Chair, Licensing Officer, applicant, and those making representations. It would also detail the process for retiring to reach a decision and how decisions would be communicated.