Passione Vino, an establishment at 58 Exmouth Market, has been granted a new premises licence by Islington Council's Licensing Sub Committee D, despite concerns raised by local residents regarding potential noise nuisances. The decision was made at a meeting held on 7 August 2025.
The licence permits the on and off sales of alcohol from 10:00 to 23:00 Sunday to Thursday, and from 10:00 to 00:00 Friday and Saturday, with late night refreshment from 23:00 until 00:00 Friday and Saturday. The opening hours are set from 08:00 to 23:30 Sunday to Thursday and from 09:00 to 00:30 Friday and Saturday. The sub-committee took into consideration the Licensing Act 2003, national guidance, and the council's licensing policy when making their decision.
According to the Public Reports Pack, the committee considered Islington's licensing policy 3, as the premises is located in the Clerkenwell Cumulative Impact Area. Islington's licensing policy 3 states that there is a presumption of refusal for new licenses or variations in the Clerkenwell Cumulative Impact Area unless the Sub-Committee is satisfied that there will be no adverse cumulative impact on the licensing objectives. A cumulative impact area is an area where the concentration of licensed premises is believed to be causing problems of crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance or harm to children. The application addressed this by suggesting a number of conditions in the operating schedule, and by accepting conditions suggested by the police and Islington Council's Noise Service. Passione Vino argued that these conditions would ensure their operation would not negatively impact the area.
The conditions proposed by Islington's Noise Service include:
- In the event that a noise nuisance is substantiated by a council officer, the licensee shall take all necessary action to prevent its recurrence.
- Signs shall be prominently displayed in the venue, requesting customers to be quiet and respect the neighbours when leaving.
- Patrons permitted to temporarily leave and then re-enter the premises to smoke shall be directed towards a designated smoking area and shall be limited to a maximum of 10 customers.
- Customers shall not be allowed to congregate outside of the venue so as to cause a public nuisance and/or block the public footpaths.
During the meeting, the sub-committee received three letters of representation from local residents. Two opposed the application, citing concerns about increased noise levels, particularly at weekends and evenings, disrupting sleep and daily life. One letter supported the application, noting that Exmouth Market is predominantly cafes, pubs, restaurants and other food and drink stores, and that the addition of Passione Vino would add to the existing character and function of Exmouth Market.
The applicant agreed to conditions with the police and Islington's Noise Service, including amendments to the operating schedule. Condition 4 was amended to read: Any off sales shall be taken off the premises in sealed containers only after taking or with a substantive meal.
Condition 23 was amended to read: There shall be no more than 10 smokers outside after 21:00. Any outside frontage must be away from the entrance to the residential flats to the premises. Any outside frontage used as a smoking area shall be swept and cleared of any smoking litter daily and at closing times. Ashtrays or suitable containers/ receptacles shall be provided for smokers.
To ensure compliance with the license conditions, an incident log shall be kept at the premises and made available on request to an authorised officer of the City Council or the Police. Also, in the event that a noise nuisance is substantiated by a council officer, the licensee shall take all necessary action to prevent its recurrence.
The legal representative for the freeholder agreed to submit an application to transfer the premises licence from the applicant to the freeholder. The legal representative stated that it was not the Freeholder's intention to run the premises, rather they would lease it out and this was easier to do when there was a premises licence already in place.
