Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

Councillor Chris Martin was elected Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

To elect a Vice-Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

Councillor Rob Leach was elected Vice-Chairman of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

To approve the minutes of the meeting of the Licensing Sub-Committee A held on 4 March 2024 as published.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the Sub-Committee held on 4 March 2024 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary and other interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

To consider any business that the Chairman rules may be dealt with under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

Reporting Person – Laura McCulloch

The Sub-Committee had before it a report regarding an application for a new Premises Licence from Rochaconsultancy on behalf on Erica Tatiane De Medeiros, Director of Brazil Tropical for the premises based at 56a-58 (first floor) Chertsey Road, Woking.  An objection has been received from Environmental Health and from four members of public living close by.  Manuel Rocha and Erica Tatiane De Medeiros attended the meeting to represent Brazil Tropical.  The objectors were represented by Slawomir Fiolna, Olivia Fiolna and Irmina Rosa.

All parties present had a copy of the Licensing Committee’s agreed procedure to be followed at Licensing Sub-Committee hearings.  The Chairman introduced Members of the Sub-Committee and outlined the order of speaking which would be followed at the hearing.

The Licensing Authority’s representative, Laura McCulloch, summarised the report that was before the Sub-Committee, stating that the past history of the premises was set out in section 9 of the report and that there was an existing premises licence which permitted the sale of alcohol for consumption at the venue only.  The licence had been granted at a meeting of a Licensing Sub-Committee on 4 December 2023, with conditions attached which had not been fully complied with.  Complaints had been received from a member of the public regarding noise and the report of a fire at the venue on 3 March 2024.  Following a warning letter sent by Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, a joint visit had been undertaken with the Police and Licensing Authority on 10 April 2024, at which it was discovered that building work was underway and the downstairs was being transformed into a Deli.  The advice given was that a full variation to the existing premises licence would need to be made as soon as possible and the Applicant was reminded that the existing licence did not permit the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises.

Neither the Applicant nor the Objectors had any questions for the Licensing Authority’s representative.

Following a question by Councillor Leach, it was stated that granting of the licence would not be aligned with the Council’s Saturation Policy, however the Sub-Committee had discretion to determine each application on its own merit.

Following a question by the Chairman, it was stated that the Applicant intended to run both licences concurrently, and so the majority of the space upstairs would be governed by a different licence to the remainder of the premises.  From an enforcement perspective, if granted it would be difficult to ascertain which part of the venue a potential breach was occurring in.

The Chairman gave the Applicant the opportunity to address the Sub-Committee.  Mr Rocha stated that he had been under the impression from the Licensing Authority that a separate licence should be applied for, and that entertainment such as music was important for the business to attract customers and that it would help it to continue operating, along with the request to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises.  The next step would be the licence already  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.