Agenda and draft minutes

None.

It was confirmed that there were no declarations of interest.

It was confirmed that all items would be heard in Part I.

The Sub - Committee received late information an hour prior to the hearing and decided not to accept it due to its lateness as all parties would need time to consider the information received.

INTRODUCTION

Mark Rose, Licensing Officer at the London Borough of Hillingdon, introduced the report and photographs relating to the application for the grant of a new premises licence in respect of Mandala Restaurant and Lounge, West Drayton. The applicationhad attracted representations from the local MP, Ward Councillors, residents, the Licensing Authority and the Metropolitan Police. No objections were received from the planning or fire and rescue authority.

An application was made for:

-       the sale of alcohol for on-sales from Monday to Thursday (11am-11pm) and from Friday to Sunday (11am-1am)

-       late night refreshments on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am to 1am

-       extension to 2am for special occasions such as Valentine's Day, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, bank holidays and Sundays before bank holidays

The proposed opening hours were Monday to Thursday from 11am to 11pm and Friday to Sunday from 11am to 1am.

A background of chronology of events was provided to the Committee. It was noted that the application was submitted on 1 December 2024 and a site visit was undertaken on 19 December 2024 to confirm that the blue notice was on display.  Although the premises did not have a licence, it was granted four temporary event notices (TENS) in December for a total of 21 days. No complaints or call-outs were received during the times the TENS were in place.

The Sub- Committee was invited to determine the application, considering all submissions both verbal and written.

APPLICANT

On behalf of the Applicant Andzelika Szylle, the Applicant’s representative, Nick Semper addressed the Sub - Committee.

It was reported that the premises primarily focused on food and fine dining, with the intention to sell alcohol mostly during dining hours. The ground floor included a bar, waiting area and lounge designed to provide a relaxing environment for customers, whilst the first floor had a restaurant with a seating capacity of 47.

The Applicant was a responsible operator with over 10 years of experience in hospitality, including seven years as a manager. The Applicant had never come to the attention of any responsible authorities and employed six staff members, which would increase to 12 when fully operational. Alcohol was sold on-site throughout December under various TENs without any issues.

A comprehensive and detailed operating schedule had been proposed to ensure that the Licensing Objectives were robustly promoted and not undermined. There was no history of crime, disorder or public nuisance at these premises. The application was for the on-sale of alcohol and late-night refreshment, with no live or recorded music or other forms of regular entertainment. It was submitted that the hours were not excessive and nearby premises had similar licences.

The Applicant’s representative emphasised that each application must be judged on its own facts and merits, with the burden on the Applicant to show that the proposed operation would promote the Licensing Objectives. It was noted that the objections had been received from the Licensing Authority, Ward Councillors and local residents.

The Applicant’s representative addressed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.