Smokey Boys, an Upper Street restaurant, is facing opposition as it seeks to extend its operating hours, with local police and residents raising concerns, according to documents presented at an Islington Licensing Sub Committee C meeting on 22 July 2025.
The restaurant, located at 74 Upper Street, is applying to extend its licensable activities to 2:00 am for both on and off-site alcohol sales and regulated entertainment, with the premises remaining open until 2:30 am. Currently, the licence permits alcohol sales until midnight and regulated entertainment until 12:30 am. This is not the first time Smokey Boys has attempted to extend its hours; previous applications were refused on 14 April 2016 and 8 September 2017.
However, the Metropolitan Police have raised objections to the proposed extension, citing concerns over security and potential increases in crime and disorder. Constable Tim Livermore of the Islington Borough Licensing Team stated that police would not support the changes to security provision or the extension to hours requested.
The police representation included updated conditions they would expect to see included to update the licence, including:
- Updated and replaced conditions relating to what to do in the event of crime or serious disorder
- Updated and replaced conditions relating to CCTV
- Updated and replaced conditions relating to the 'Challenge 25' proof of age scheme
- Updated and replaced conditions relating to the premises operating a zero tolerance policy to illegal drugs
- Updated and replaced conditions relating to an incident log
- New conditions stating that alcohol shall not be served to standing customers and that there will always be the provision of food available whenever alcohol is being served
- New conditions stating that there will be no externally promoted events
The Licensing Authority also submitted a representation, noting that the operating schedule lacked sufficient detail on how the applicants would promote the licensing objectives. According to the Licensing Authority representation in the Public Reports Pack, In this application, the operating schedule does not explain how they will promote the licensing objectives. It does not explain why certain current conditions are being deleted or the reasons for imposing new conditions.
Furthermore, the Council's Noise Service objected to the application, stating that the applicant had not provided any further details with regards to meeting the licensing objective of the prevention of public nuisance. The objections are also prompted by a history of issues, including a Premises Licence Review application submitted as a result of crime and disorder issues connected to the premises
on 26 June 2014, which led to a reduction in licensable hours and the implementation of control measures following a Licensing Sub-Committee determination on 12 August 2014.
Ten local residents also submitted representations, raising concerns about:
- The proposed hours being in breach of Islington's licensing policy
- The premises being in a cumulative impact zone
- The lack of obligation to serve alcohol as ancillary to a substantial meal
- The potential for noise nuisance
- The potential for increased crime and antisocial behaviour
The Licensing Sub Committee C, comprised of Councillor Valerie Bossman-Quarshie, Councillor Joseph Croft, and Councillor James Potts, will consider the application, taking into account the representations from the police, the Licensing Authority, the Noise Service, and local residents.
The premises is located in the Angel and Upper Street Cumulative Impact Area, meaning that the sub-committee would need to consider Islington's Licensing Policy 3. Islington's Licensing Policy 3 states that there is a presumption of refusal unless the Sub-Committee is satisfied that there will be no adverse cumulative impact on the licensing objectives.
