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Where? What? A new venue? Trendy bar? A vintner?

It’s not one of the usual places on Lavender Hill but a new application for a property on Altenburg Gardens. The licence is for the sale of alcohol 24 hours a day for consumption off the premises, customers will not visit the premises, but order via phone or internet and the premises will only be used to store a maximum 20 cases of stock

The licence application itself is not that shocking, there are actually a few 24 hour licences in the borough for similar services which cause no disruption, although I think it is a little unusual that it’s from a residential property.

Neighbours, may, however, be concerned about potential disruption from deliveries which are not restricted by time. Although I suspect there are plenty of other based businesses that are not licensed (eBay sales) that can cause much more disruption.

Representations can be made to the licensing section until 24 March, legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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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Bangkok Boulevard, at 87 Lavender Hill, have submitted a licence application to the council.

The hours they are seeking are exactly the same as Cinnamon Cay, the restaurant that previously occupied the premises, allowing them to open until 12.30am Monday to Saturday and midnight on Sundays.

Unlike the Revolution application I cannot imagine this being contentious. But if you have any representation to make the last date the committee must receive it by is 8 September 2009, it’s worth remembering that legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 on licensing in Wandsworth.

As usual I’m publishing this for information.

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Revolution – the chain bar at 276/288 Lavender Hill – has applied to Wandsworth for a variation of its licence.

They are hoping to extend their hours on Friday and Saturday. They are currently allowed to provide music until 1.30am and ‘refreshment’ (usually alcohol in bars!) until 2.00am. Their application is until extend these times to 3.00am and 3.30am respectively. This will effectively mean the bar would be emptying at 4.00am in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings.

In the past I’ve been fairly neutral in reporting license applications, partly because they’ve either not been contentious or because I have an interest (in other words, because I drink in them!). Neither of these factors apply in this case, so I feel free to say I oppose this application.

The council has always taken a fairly restrictive approach to licensing, keeping fairly close to the old-style 11am – 11pm licenses. In fact this seems to reflect what most people in the borough want. Several pubs (including my local) applied for later hours, but have never used them because people would tend to drift off around 11pm anyway.

Of course, not everyone wants to finish drinking and drift off home at 11pm. I have no problem with that and do not oppose late licenses on any moralistic or health grounds. But I do not think, in a primarily residential borough, we should be creating what will invariably become a destination for late night drinkers.

The obvious counter-argument is that Revolution is situated on in a town centre, with no residential population. But in fact there are residential properties all around. Most of the floors above the local shops are flats, and there is a small block opposite. Directly behind is a totally residential street, Mossbury Road. And the disruption would not be limited to the immediate area.

At 4am most public transport will have finished, leaving the prospect of long – and potentially drunken and noisy – walks home through residential streets. Or large number of minicabs touting for business. In fact London is well served for late night drinking with the West End, which also happens to be the central hub for late night public transport. I don’t think we should be replicating the West End’s offer here.

If you wish to object you have until 23 August to make your representation, legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 and we’ll be writing to local residents to make sure they know about the plans.

UPDATE: If you wish to object 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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Bar Social and Sugar Cane, Lavender Hill
Bar Social and Sugar Cane, Lavender Hill

Following on from the Bar Social application last week their neighbours, Sugar Cane at 247-249 Lavender Hill have also applied to extend their hours.

Their application is not quite as late as Bar Social’s, they are only applying to remain open until midnight on Sundays to Thursdays, but looking for the same 2am close on Fridays and Saturdays.

However, they are, like Bar Social, hoping to remove restrictions on use of their outside area to the front of the bar so smokers can use it all night. Given that smoking is often social, this may be a problem for neighbours who will potentially be disturbed by late night conversations.

If you have any representation to make the last date is 6 August 2009, it’s worth remembering that legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 on licensing in Wandsworth.

As usual I’m publishing this for information.

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The council has received an application to vary the existing licence at Bar Social, 245 Lavender Hill.

The application essentially seeks to extend the opening hours of the premises so it can serve alcohol and provide entertainment until 1am on the mornings following Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and until 2am on the mornings following Friday and Saturday.

What might be more controversial is the application to remove the restriction on use of the external drinking area after 10pm. Wandsworth will often impose a condition on premises limiting the use of the external areas late at night because we are a residential area. Bar Social are looking to use their external drinking area until 11pm (they are currently limited to 10pm) and to be allowed to use the area for smoking only at any time.

Of course, this may create a noise nuisance – since smoking has become more social since the smoking ban.

If you have any representation to make the last date is 23 July 2009, it’s worth remembering that legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 on licensing in Wandsworth.

As usual I’m publishing this for information.

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Although the public notice has been in the window for some time, I have been formally notified of a licensing application for the premises at 133 Lavender Hill (currently called Kathmandu – though new applications often signify a change in management and name – opposite the Chuch of the Ascension).

The application is quite restricted, seeking to sell alcohol for two periods a day 12.00 – 14.00 and 17.00 – 23.00 seven days a week and to provide recorded music during 12.00 – 15.00 and 17.00 – 23.00 seven days a week.

If you have any representation to make the last date is 13 June 2009, it’s worth remembering that legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 on licensing in Wandsworth.

Personally I think the application is straightforward and reasons and do not think it will be any problem.  I’m publishing this purely for information, as I do with any licensing applications received in the ward.

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The council’s licensing department has received an application from UKAI, the sushi restaurant at 39, Lavender Hill.

The application is to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 12 noon and 11pm Monday – Saturday and between 12 noon and 10pm on Sunday.

If you have any representation to make the last date is 29 May 2009, it’s worth remembering that legally representations can only be considered by the licensing committee if they 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 on licensing in Wandsworth.

I should point out that I’ve posted this purely for information as it is an application for a premises in my ward not because  I think the application is any cause for concern or likely to be a problem.  I intend to publish details of any applications received, although applications are fairly infrequent.