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The Lavender, on Lavender Hill

The council have received a licensing application from The Lavender, 171 Lavender Hill. They are seeking to extend the hours of playing recorded music, providing late night refreshment and the sale of alcohol until midnight Monday to Wednesday, until 1.00am the morning after Thursday and Sunday and until 2.00am the morning following Friday and Saturday.

The recorded music license is requested from 10.00am, alcohol sales from 8.00am.

It has been a long time since I regularly used The Lavender. Indeed the last time I can recall spending any length of time in there was the night after the riots, when I probably drank a bit too much while discussing the previous night’s events with a group of local traders.

As such, it’s difficult for me to make any comment, since I have little idea how the place has changed since its recent makeover. Having said that, it might some on the neighbouring residential roads might think it is a little too late for a school night.

If you want to make a representation you have until 26 June. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk

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The Thirsty Camel off-licence on Lavender Hill

I am incredibly grateful to Thirsty Camel on Lavender Hill. I often feel guilty about not posting enough on the blog, but they are doing their utmost to give me a regular stream of posts. It’s like they are specialists in knock-off cigarettes, underage booze and giving something to local politicians to write about.

That small intersection of people who read this blog and pay attention may have noticed that—despite losing their licence at a recent review—Thirsty Camel continues to trade as normal. They have appealed the previous decision and trading can continue as before until the appeal decision; however clear-cut I might think the case is, this is quite right, there has to be protection for businesses to make sure councils get these decisions right.

The business is, however, covering all outcomes and has applied for a new licence for the premises. While this is legally a new and separate application, it is made by someone connected with the current licensee and I cannot help but have concerns about it. I know the council’s trading standards team will be looking at the application very carefully.

The application is for the sale of alcohol from 8am until midnight on Sunday to Thursday, and from 8am until 2am the following day on Fridays and Saturdays.

If you wish to make a representation you have until 2 May. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

Given the premises track record of selling counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes and underage sales I consider the first and last items on that list are relevant to this application.

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk.

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The Thirsty Camel off-licence on Lavender Hill
Thirsty Camel, otherwise known as Best One, on Lavender Hill. Picture from Google Street View

Best One on Lavender Hill, which trades as Thirsty Camel, has seen its shopkeeper lose his licence to sell alcohol. The review took place after the store was found to be selling counterfeit tobacco and had previously had a licence review after selling alcohol to underage customers which resulted in a temporary licence suspension.

The start of the council’s press release gives the impression it may have been a fairly open and shut case:

A Battersea shopkeeper has had his licence to sell alcohol revoked after thousands of pounds worth of counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes were found hidden in his storeroom.

Trading standards officers found nearly 700 packets of contraband tobacco when they searched the Best One store in Lavender Hill. Nearly a third of the packets were fake while the others could not be legally sold in the UK and were smuggled into the country.

The case raises a huge number of points. One of which is that, however noble efforts to reduce smoking are, there are serious risks in plain packaging: which would make counterfeiting easier.

It also highlights the importance of regulation in some areas. I know some businesses feel the council’s various enforcement arms can be heavy handed—especially when most abide by all the necessary laws and regulations—but in cases like this there has to be protection for both the consumer but also competing businesses who, by virtue of abiding by the law, are disadvantaged by those who are not so upstanding when it comes to their business practice.

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Grill on the Hill, in pre-Grill on the Hill guise, and Best One, dressed as Thirsty Camel. Pictures from Google Street View.
Grill on the Hill, in pre-Grill on the Hill guise, and Best One, dressed as Thirsty Camel. Pictures from Google Street View.

There are two licensing matters in Shaftesbury ward currently scheduled for consideration by the council’s licensing committee. The first is a new application for ‘Grill on the Hill’ at 89 Lavender Hill. The application is to sell alcohol between 9.00am and 11.00pm seven days a week and to provide late night refreshment until 11.30pm every night.

The premises were 1st Stop Audio Visual, so this will be the first food and drink offer on that particular stretch of shops, but there are plenty of similar offerings nearby. It does not seem that unreasonable an application, although it will be a change of use that might concern the immediate neighbours. Representations, however, must be made by today (the application was submitted before Christmas).

The other licensing matter concerns Best One (now trading as Thirsty Camel) at 246 Lavender Hill. This is a review of the licence against the prevention of crime and disorder licensing objective after ‘illicit tobacco products’ were found on the premises. This particular branch of Best One has previously found itself the subject of a review back in 2011 after it was caught selling alcohol to underage customers. The closing date for representations on this review is 30 January.

For either case, the representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk.

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The council have received a licensing application from Social Pantry, 170 Lavender Hill. They are seeking a licence to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises between 10am and 11:30pm seven days a week, and to provide late night refreshment between 5pm and 11.30pm seven days a week.

Social Pantry is a relatively new café on Lavender Hill, but definitely serves one of the better coffees in SW11 (although I think they sometimes let the milk get a bit too hot) and this application is to clearly allow them to offer a slightly different trade in the evening. Personally, it’s hard to see how it would be a problem for any of the council’s licensing objectives, but you might think differently.

If you want to make a representation you have until 30 December. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk

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The vacant parking shop on Lavender Hill: Johnny Fly-to-be. (Image from Google Street View.)
The vacant parking shop on Lavender Hill: Johnny Fly-to-be. (Image from Google Street View.)

The council have received a licensing application from Johnny Fly, 145 Lavender Hill. They are seeking a licence to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises between 10am and 11:30pm seven days a week, and to provide late night refreshment between 11pm and midnight seven days a week.

It is difficult to know what to make of the application; you don’t often get applications for entirely new premises. When it’s for a licence extension you know what and can take a guess on whether it is good or bad. Sometimes you will have an idea of the type of pub because you will know the pub company (as was the case with Battersea Mess and Music Hall). But I haven’t a clue who or what Johnny Fly are. Google can only suggest a US clothing company, which I suspect wouldn’t need an alcohol licence on Lavender Hill. However, I don’t particularly see that section of Lavender Hill as unsuitable for bars and the hours do not seem at all excessive.

If you want to make a representation you have until 5 March. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk

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Party Superstore: Just how Golfrate likes it.

Steve Jobs once expressed frustration that Barack Obama focused on the reasons why things can’t get done instead of just doing them. Part of the problem may be that he doesn’t have as much power as people think. And this is true of all politicians; right down to the humble councillor.

The idea that there is a political class with huge executive power is a myth. The best politicians realise that, and lead by persuasion, they have a vision and invite – hopefully successfully – people to join them in making it a reality. Wandsworth can clean the streets, but we need successful businesses and people to shop there to make a vibrant town centre; we also need successful businesses and happy shoppers.

Which is why, ultimately, politics is mostly about frustration. You often won’t succeed; there will be a snag, people disagree, time runs out. You accept it, learn the lessons and move on, because you know when it does work out the hard work and failures are worth it.

And rarely do you talk about it. Perhaps because politicians don’t like failure. Perhaps because discretion is sometimes the better path.

Then sometimes you are, frankly, so pissed off by something that you want to point fingers.

And this is one of those times.

The Party Superstore on Lavender Hill is a highly visible reminder of last year’s riots. A scar on Clapham Junction that, because of the scale of damage done, will take a long time to heal.

But we wanted to put a plaster on it. Something to make the area look a bit nicer. The idea was some artwork, a backdrop of lavender, with butterflies drawn by local children.

Twee, perhaps, but a lot nicer than the currently boarding.

The council was keen, and would fund it. A local business was going to provide the artwork and materials. The Party Shop owner, Duncan Mundell, was enthusiastic every step of the way.

Sadly, Golfrate, the building owner, was not so keen. They said no.

This was a bit surprising, since it would be at no cost to them. And would make their property a little more attractive while it was repaired. And since they’d initially proposed a large advertising hoarding they can hardly oppose a display on the shop frontage.

Those less charitable than I might wonder if the council’s rejection of their massive advertising hoarding and their rejection of the artwork are related. There is an appealing simplicity in that conclusion but I have no idea how true it might be.

What I do know is that this appears to have become another example of where the council tried to bring people together to make something positive happen, but just couldn’t quite get everyone to agree. It’s sad that Golfrate, for whatever reason, couldn’t bring themselves to let other people pay to make their property a little nicer, but that is their decision.

Golfrate have every right to say no, and we have to respect that right. But I certainly don’t respect the decision.

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Newspot, Lavender Hill (image from Google Streetview)

To continue today’s licensing theme, Newspot, at 8 Lavender Hill has received an application to extend their licensed hours. Their current hours end at 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10.30pm on Sunday. They are applying for an alcohol licence between 8am until 2am Monday to Thursday, 8am until 3am Friday and Saturday and 10am until 2am on Sunday.

As is often the case with licensing, I find libertarian ideals conflicting with a more authoritarian streak. As a general principle, I don’t see why (or anyone else) shouldn’t be able to buy alcohol when we want – provided the retailer and I both act responsibly. However, the licensing regime we have means that late licences can become destinations and, as a result, problems. In this instance, having recently seen new conditions applied on the Beaufoy, I can’t help but see a new late licence in the area as a retrograde step. In an area that has struggled, but is hopefully about to turn a corner, I would need a lot of persuasion that this application benefits Lavender Hill.

If you want to make a representation you have until 20 June. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk

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Perhaps predictably, within hours of posting the outline of the decision on the Beaufoy I got the detailed decision. This has not been posted on the council’s website yet, but will appear in due course (I’m not sure if it will be under the original 28 February meeting or the adjourned 24 April meeting).

The additional conditions are, I think, interesting and worth posting in full. I’ve never seen some of them used anywhere else before. A proposed set of conditions were suggested jointly by the licensee’s solicitor, police and council, I don’t know how far these were amended by the committee:

The Sub-Committee decided to add the following permanent conditions arising from relevant representations:-

  1. The prevention of crime and disorder
    1. A review of the CCTV system, including the numbers of and positioning of all cameras, shall be agreed with the Metropolitan Police and Licensing Authority and all their recommendations be implemented within 6 months of 24 April 2012 .

    2. CCTV cameras covering the front and side of the venue will be installed.
    3. All recordings from the CCTV system shall be retained and stored in a suitable and secure manner for a minimum of 31 days, and shall be made available on request to the Metropolitan Police, Licensing Authority or other Responsible Authorities.

    4. To ensure that the CCTV system is operating and recording 24 hours a day.
    5. To have a member of staff who is trained in the use of the CCTV system on duty at the premises all times they are open.

    6. No open drinks containers are to be allowed to be taken from the premises.
    7. The premises will be searched at least once daily by trained staff to check for drug usage. A log of these checks shall be kept and produced upon request of a Police Officer.
    8. Customers will be refused entry if they fail to submit to a voluntary search
    9. Ensure that a comprehensive incident register is maintained at the premises. The Designated Premises Supervisor shall ensure that details of incidents (i.e. ejections of persons where the emergency services are called because of offences against the person or theft) shall be added to the register within 24 hours of any incident. The register will be kept at the venue and produced for inspection upon request from the police or an authorised officer from the Licensing Authority. The incident register shall be recorded:-

      1. Date of incident
      2. Time of incident

      3. Location of incident
      4. Persons concerned
      5. Summary of incident

      6. Identification of any Emergency Services Personnel who attended.
    10. A risk assessment form 696 must be completed for every event involving new external promoters and submitted to the Metropolitan Police at least 14 working days prior to any regulated entertainment event taking place.
  2. The prevention of public nuisance
    1. All doors (save for entry and egress) and all windows shall be kept closed whenever Regulated Entertainment is provided, and after 23.00 irrespective of the provision of Regulated Entertainment.

    2. The door staff shall be tasked with maintaining the acoustic lobby at the front of the premises by ensuring that both doors are not opened concurrently (save for emergencies).


The hours are set at:

  • Sunday: 12.00 – 22.30
  • Monday and Tuesday: 10.00 – 00.00
  • Wednesday and Thursday: 10.00 – 01.00
  • Friday and Saturday: 10.00 – 02.00

They are, I think, fairly stringent. Hopefully they will prevent the problems that have been making the lives of neighbours a misery for too long.

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An application has been made by Sweet Sensations, 256 Lavender Hill for an extension to their alcohol licence.

Their current licence allows alcohol sales from 8am until 11pm Monday to Saturday and 10am until 10.30pm on Sundays. They are applying for an extension for sales from 7am until midnight on Sunday to Thursday, with sales until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights.

While the extension is fairly significant they are located in the town centre, with plenty of other late night venues nearby.

If you want to make a representation you have until 21 May. Representations must relate to the four licensing objectives:

  • The prevention of crime and disorder
  • The prevention of public nuisance
  • Public safety
  • The protection of children from harm

The council’s licensing pages provide more information.

If you wish to make an observation you can do so by writing to:
Head of Licensing
Licensing Section
London Borough of Wandsworth
PO Box 47095
London
SW18 9AQ

or by emailing licensing@wandsworth.gov.uk