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Shaftesbury seems to be attracting licensing applications on a weekly basis at the moment. The latest is from Revolution who sit right in the town centre on the corner of Lavender Hill and Falcon Road.

They are seeking what seems a fairly minimal application, basically an extra hour on Thursday night, extending alcohol sales from midnight to 0100, and extending ‘late night refreshment’ from 1230 to 0130.

You can make representations until 24 September. They need to 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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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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One of the applicant's drawings of the proposed hotel on Falcon Road
One of the applicant's drawings of the proposed hotel on Falcon Road

As I reported in June the developers had requested the Mayor take responsibility for deciding their application to build a hotel on Falcon Road.

The Mayor has decided that he is content with Wandsworth Council taking the decision, meaning the council’s refusal of the application stands.

Legally, the Mayor has powers to determine applications if they are strategically important enough.  When the council’s planning department recommended refusal of the application to councillors the developers turned to the Mayor, claiming their hotel was of such importance he should be the decision maker.

There is a three step test the Mayor must apply: first, that the application has a significant impact on the implementation of the London plan; second, that there are significant effects on more than one borough; and third, that there are sound planning reasons for intervening.

His decision was that the hotel failed on all three tests!

The developer can still appeal to the Planning Inspectorate – which is the last option remaining to them.  If they do, all objections made to the council will be carried forward.

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One of the applicant's drawings of the proposed hotel on Falcon Road
One of the applicant's drawings of the proposed hotel on Falcon Road

Although the application for the hotel was rejected last night the developers are now appealing to the Mayor.

Any applicant has the right to appeal a decision, which will normally go to the planning inspectorate.  This is unusual in that it’s not, technically, an appeal, but instead a request that the Mayor takes responsibility for the decision (and presumably, having taken responsibility, approves it).

I’ll also confess I don’t really understand the motives.  The usual justification for asking the Mayor to rule on an application is because it impacts on his wider London strategies.  It’s hard to argue that London is in desperate need for more hotel capacity.

You can argue that Wandsworth needs more capacity – but that’s a Wandsworth, not a London, matter.

Another reason might be that the application has implications for more than one borough.  Again, it’s hard to see how, the site is some miles from the nearest border with Lambeth, and the size means it’s unlikely to have any effect on any of our neighbours.

I would hope this doesn’t get anywhere with the Mayor.  The developers best way forward is to work with the council to come up with an acceptable scheme, rather than touting the application around in the hope someone will eventually say yes.