Agenda and minutes

The Council’s Licensing Officer presented a report in respect of an application made by the Metropolitan Police for a review of the premises licence for the Bardhi Pool Club at 70a Longbridge Road, Barking, under the Licensing Objectives of ‘the Prevention of Crime and Disorder’, and ‘Public Safety’.  The application was supported by two ‘responsible authorities’; namely, the Licensing Authority Responsible Authority Officer (LARO) and the Trading Standards Enforcement Officer (TSEO).

The Licensing Officer stated that the review application had been submitted as a consequence of a visit to the premises by the Police on 7 April 2021, which confirmed that Mr Lad Bardhaj, the Premises Licence Holder (PLH), and the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), had breached the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 by permitting approximately 19 people to gather inside an extended rear extension to the premises and consume alcohol, refreshments and shisha. When questioned by the Police, Mr Bardhaj stated that he was present at the premises only to do some jobs such as cleaning, and that during this time, people started turning up, asking to be served.

By way of background, the Licensing Officer further stated that:

·  On 7 August 2019 an application for a variation of the premises licence to extend the licensed area of the premises to include a rear extension was received. This application went into consultation but was not determined;

·  On 16 August 2019, an application for an expedited summary review of the premises licence was received from the Police, in response to the execution of a search warrant on 8 August 2019 under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971;

·  On 19 August 2019, the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider the expedited summary review and determined that the premises licence be suspended pending the full review;

·  The full review hearing took place on 10 September 2019 and the Sub-Committee’s decision was to revoke the premises licence;

·  On 27 September 2019, an appeal was lodged at Barkingside Magistrates Court against the decision of the Sub Committee; and

·  On 20 March 2020 the Justice of the Peace granted a Consent Order upon agreement by all parties concerned that the licence was to be re-instated subject to new agreed conditions.

The Sub-Committee then heard the following submissions by the applicant’s representative, arguing for the revocation of the licence:

·  This was not a small gathering of friends or family, for example; rather, this breach of the Regulations meant that a large number of people (five whom had fled upon the Police’s arrival) had gathered indoors, many of whom were consuming drinks and shisha and smoking, with no attempt to socially distance;

·  As documented in the applicant’s documents within the public agenda pack, Mr Bardhaj was well aware that permitting people to gather inside the premises would breach the Covid-19 regulations, as his son had stated to the Police that he had informed his father that he should not open the premises, but Mr Bardhaj went ahead anyway;

·  The circumstances during the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.