A Putney convenience store's application to extend its alcohol sales hours has met with resistance from local authorities, raising concerns about public nuisance.
Best One, located at 169 Putney High Street, has applied to Wandsworth Council for a variation to its premises licence, seeking to extend its alcohol sales until 02:00 every day. Currently, the store is licensed to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises between 09:00 and midnight, Monday to Sunday.
The Licensing Sub-Committee convened on Thursday, 7 August 2025, to consider the application (Open Council Network).
Sumit Anand, Licensing Officer, told the sub-committee that the application had drawn a representation from the Council's Environmental Services Noise and Nuisance Team, who voiced concerns about the potential impact on nearby residents. The Environmental Services Officer stated that residents can tolerate noise disturbance when ambient noise levels are high but find it increasingly intolerable as ambient levels fall. They also stated that the client group seeking to buy alcohol for off-premises consumption in the early hours differs from those seeking other goods, and that noise from revellers, people smoking outside, and delivery drivers cannot be controlled effectively except by limiting operating hours. Granting the application would make the premises an outlier, potentially increasing demand beyond what its location would normally generate.
The officer stated that the application sought to exceed the council's guideline policy hours for alcohol sales, which are 07:00 to 00:00 Sunday to Thursday, and 07:00 to 02:00 Friday and Saturday. The report also noted residents' tolerance for noise diminishes as ambient levels fall later in the night.
Representing Inventure Putney Limited, the applicant, Graeme Hopkins of GT License and Consultants, argued that the extended hours were necessary to meet customer demand, particularly given the challenges faced by businesses post-COVID. He emphasised the robust conditions proposed in the application to prevent disturbance to residents. Mr Hopkins also pointed out that no residents had objected to the extension. Rohit Amipara, Director of Inventure Putney Limited, added that the shop is open 24/7 and the extension is to allow customers to purchase alcohol with other goods.
Gholam Chowdhury, representing the Environmental Services Officer, expressed concern that extending the hours would make the premises an outlier, potentially attracting more demand and leading to increased noise and antisocial behaviour. He noted the proximity of residential properties and the potential for disturbance from delivery drivers, which he stated cannot be controlled by the applicant other than by limiting the general hours in which premises can operate.
Mr Hopkins clarified that the Environmental Health Officer had not objected to the Friday and Saturday hours, as they fall within the framework hours. He also stated that there had been no specific noise complaints against the premises.
The applicant has proposed additional conditions to their operating schedule, including:
- Staff monitoring the outside of the shop via CCTV and physical checks to ensure that customers do not drink or loiter outside the shop.
- Displaying a notice asking customers to leave quietly and dispose of litter responsibly.
- A minimum of two trained staff on duty between 23:00 and closing.
- Daily risk assessments to identify the need for additional security.
If residents are suffering from any noise nuisance, they should report that to the noise team. Once that report goes to the noise team, the noise officer has an opportunity to attend. For the council to then take action against that, the noise officer has to witness a statutory noise nuisance, which may involve visiting the resident's premises to measure the noise. Once that happens, the noise officers have their own legislation, but because there is a premises licence, there could also be an effect on breaching of licensing conditions. It would be a stepped approach where the council would work with the residents and the licensee to continue to build that relationship in the hope that the licensee adheres to those conditions.
The Licensing Sub-Committee will now consider all evidence before making a decision. The chair stated that after the sub-committee has considered the application, they will retire to a separate confidential meeting room to make the decision, where only members of the licensing subcommittee, the Democratic Services Officer and legal advisor will be present. The decision, reasons, and any legal guidance given during the subcommittee's discussion that has informed their decision will be confirmed in writing, together with information about any rights of appeal within five working days.
