To consider an application for the variation of a premises licence in respect of Mosaic Peri Peri, 51 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1LH.

The Sub-Committee considered a report on an application for the variation of a premises licence in respect of Mosaic Peri Peri, 51 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1LH. The premises currently benefited from a Premises Licence that authorised the following:

Hours for the Provision of Late Night Refreshment

Monday to Saturday           from 2300hrs until 0100hrs

Sunday                              from 2300hrs until 0000hrs

Hours the Premises is Open to the Public

Monday to Saturday          from 1100hrs until 0100hrs

Sunday                              from 1100hrs until 0000hrs

The application to vary the licence had been submitted by Mr William Donne, Licensing Consultant, Silver Fox Licensing Consultants on behalf of the applicant Zing Cooperates Ltd. The application had been received on 3 December 2024. A copy of the application form was attached to the report at Appendix TS-1. The application sought a variation of the premises licence to extend the hours as follows:

Hours for the Provision of Late Night Refreshment:

Monday to Sunday             from 2300hrs until 0300hrs

Hours the Premises is Open to the Public:

Monday to Sunday             from 1100hrs until 0300hrs

During the 28-day consultation period for the application representations against the variation application had been received from the following Responsible Authorities:

• Declan Smyth, Licensing Officer, Thames Valley Police – representation attached at Appendix TS-2;
• Robert Smalley – Reading Borough Council (RBC), Licensing Team – representation attached at Appendix TS-3;
• Rebecca Moon – RBC, Environmental Protection Team – representation attached at Appendix TS-4.

The report stated that in determining the application the Licensing Authority had a duty to carry out its functions with a view to promoting the four licensing objectives, as follows:

·       The prevention of crime and disorder;

·       Public safety;

·       The prevention of public nuisance;

·       The protection of children from harm.

The report stated that any decision made in relation to the Premises Licence should be appropriate and proportionate with a view to promoting the licensing objectives. The Licensing Authority could amend, alter, or refuse an application should it be deemed appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.

The report set out paragraphs 1.6, 2.9, 3.1, 3.2, 5.6, 5.7, 6.1, 6.2, 6.5, 6.19 to 6.26, 7.2, 7.6, 7.7, 7.12, 8.6, 10.1 and 10.3 from the Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy. The report also set out paragraphs 1.2 to 1.5, 8.41 to 8.49, 9.12, 9.38, 9.39, 9.40, 9.42 and 9.43 from the Secretary of State’s Guidance to the Licensing Act 2003 issued in December 2023.

Tabitha Shaw, Licensing Enforcement Officer, RBC, attended the hearing and presented the report outlining the application to the Sub-Committee.

The Applicant's representative, William Donne, Silver Fox Licensing Consultants, attended the meeting, addressed the Sub-Committee on the variation application and asked and responded to questions. Sana Ifran, Director of Zing Cooperates Ltd also attended the meeting. During the hearing and having obtained the permission of all parties present the applicant circulated copies of training material that had been provided to staff at the premises along with an image showing the frontage of the premises.

Declan Smyth, Licensing Officer, Thames Valley Police; Robert Smalley, Licensing Enforcement Officer, RBC; and Rebecca Moon, Senior Environmental Health Officer, RBC, all attended the meeting and addressed the Sub-Committee on the representations that had been submitted in opposition to the application. All three also asked and responded to questions.

Mike Harding, Licensing Enforcement Officer, RBC; Ben Williams Licensing Enforcement Officer, RBC; and Thais Araujo, Environmental Health Officer, RBC, attended the hearing as observers.

Resolved:

(1)           That, after taking into consideration the Licensing Act 2003, the Secretary of State’s Guidance issued under section 182 of that Act and Reading Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and having considered the likely effect that granting the application would have on the promotion of the four Licensing Objectives:

·       the prevention of crime and disorder;

·       public safety;

·       the prevention of public nuisance; and

·       the protection of children from harm

and having considered:

·       the written report and associated paperwork for the meeting;

·       the written and oral representations from the applicant, including the new material on training provided by the applicant at the hearing;

·       the written and oral professional representations of Declan Smyth on behalf of Thames Valley Police;

·       the written and oral professional representations of Robert Smalley on behalf of Reading Borough Council’s Licensing Team; and

·       the written and oral professional representations of Rebecca Moon on behalf of Reading Borough Council’s Environmental Health Team;

the application to vary the Premise Licence in respect of Mosaic Peri Peri, 51 Wokingham Road, Reading, RG6 1LH, be granted to extend the licensable hours as follows:

Hours for the Provision of Late Night Refreshment:

Monday to Sunday             from 2300hrs until 0300hrs

Hours the Premises is Open to the Public:

Monday to Sunday             from 1100hrs until 0300hrs.

(2)           That it be noted that, whilst the application to vary the premises licence had been granted, the premises could not operate past 0100hrs until the relevant planning permission had been obtained.