LIQUOR LICENSES OBTAINED ON THE SLY

10.53.58am GMT Tue 1st Nov 2005

CONCERN AS LICENSE APPLICATION 'GO THROUGH ON THE SLY'

The system for considering license application has been condemned as 'weighted against residents' after a new loophole has emerged.

A number of licensed premises applied for a new application or an extension to their application during the recent flurry under the new law. After significant resident concerns a number of these were then thrown out due to a technicality or withdrawn due to the volume of resident objections.

"It now emerges," says Ed Fordham, "that a number of premises are then re-applying very quickly and their application is going to go through on the sly. I am particularly concerned about The Establishment Nightclub at 135 Finchley Road - they applied for a 4am license and a huge number of people wrote in objecting - nearly 120 letters from local residents. The application was withdrawn due to a technicality.

Now The Establishment have resubmitted amending it to 3.30am and residents are unaware of the re-application, many local people say they have objected already, no-one is clear that this is in fact a new process.

"Not one of the previous 120 letters will count and if there are no objections then the application will go through uncontested and without a hearing.

"The government have already announced a review of the legislation on licensing and I am calling for a clause that would give the Council the power to have a public hearing at committee on re-applications, where they know the application is controversial and previously attracted considerable public representation. This would ensure that the public are not hoodwinked and residents don't have a license they don't want forced upon them and their locality."

ENDS

For more information contact Ed Fordham on 07974 950 512. Ed was the Lib Dem candidate in Hampstead and Highgate in May 2005.

NOTES:

The deadline for objections in fact falls this Wednesday 2nd November. Residents are currently engaged on a rush to get objections in to ensure that Camden Council holds a hearing of the application.

The re-application for many days did not appear on the Camden Council Licensing register on the web.

SOME OF THE E-MAILS FROM RESIDENTS THAT ED HAS RECEIVED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS:

E-MAIL 1

I am disabled ,my husband is also elderly and we are not able to get around as much as we used to . Luckily I have a son ,who posted off my objections (once again ) this morning at 730am.!!!

I objected before and was replied to ,in legal jargon which as I understood that the application was denied .Every time I tried to contact the Licensing team there was a message on voice mail .So I gave up ,thinking it was all settled ,and their license was denied . So I was absolutely mortified to think that they could .

The noise From Finchley Rd at night is terrible especially at week ends .The stairs which lead from the station ,has vomit ,cans etc which is left fo whoever is responsible for cleaning .I wrote all this and more last time.The fault is in Camden Council they should never allowed a club to be opened in a residential area .

Thank you for all your efforts on this matter.

E-MAIL 2

Me and my wife do not not agree for alcohol licence for night club Establishment.

Is problems in my road from that club in Harben Road.

We wrote last time alredy

Harben Road

London

NW6 4RP

E-MAIL 3

I have just received a letter from camden saying that the application to convert the current licence has now been approved and the licence will be issued shortly.

I would be grateful if you could explain what this means,