Westminster Council's Licensing Sub-Committee is reviewing an application for a new premises licence that would allow Pizza Hut Delivery, located at 113 Lupus Street, to extend its late-night refreshment hours until 2 AM, amid concerns from local residents and authorities. Currently, the Pizza Hut Delivery location's late-night refreshment hours extend to 12 AM on Sundays through Thursdays, and to 12:30 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.

JJ & Team Limited, the applicant, seeks to extend the hours for late night refreshment from 23:00 to 02:00, Monday to Sunday. According to the Public reports pack, the applicant intends to cater exclusively to third-party delivery drivers (TPAs) such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat during these extended hours, and not to their own drivers.

To mitigate potential disturbances, JJ & Team Limited has proposed several measures, including:

  • Operating exclusively for TPA drivers between 11 PM and 2 AM, ensuring that drivers park away from the store, thereby reducing noise from engines starting and stopping.
  • Ensuring delivery drivers only arrive when orders are ready for collection.
  • Encouraging delivery to avoid customers waiting at the premises.
  • Maintaining no seating area for eat-in customers.
  • Fitting all fixed equipment, such as ventilation systems, with noise suppression measures and restricting their use to minimize disturbance.
  • Maintaining ventilation and extract systems to prevent noxious smells from causing a nuisance.
  • Providing delivery drivers with written instructions to use their vehicles responsibly, avoid idling, and refrain from obstructing the highway or parking in residents' spaces.

However, the application has faced opposition from the Metropolitan Police Service, Environmental Health, and local residents. PC Steve Muldoon of the Metropolitan Police Service, stated that granting the application would likely undermine the licensing objective of the prevention of crime and disorder, as the location is in the middle of a residential area and would be the only premises open throughout the night, potentially becoming a gathering point and causing issues for local residents.

Local residents have also voiced concerns, citing potential noise nuisance from delivery drivers and customers during late hours. One resident stated:

I object to this application as the premises are in a highly residential area and it is not appropriate to open until 5am with the associated noise nuisance from delivery drivers and customers.

Another resident expressed fears about increased anti-social behaviour, stating that extending the opening hours would:

...only encourage the anti social behaviour of the young men that plague the block that is directly above Pizza Hut to hang about the block for longer periods of time.

It is worth noting that a previous, identical application (25/01674/LIPVM) to extend late night refreshment to 5 AM, Monday to Sunday, was refused under delegated authority on 22 May 2025.

The Licensing Sub-Committee, composed of Councillor Maggie Carman, Councillor Md Shamsed Chowdhury, and Councillor Paul Swaddle OBE, will consider the application and the representations made before making a decision. The decision will be based on the City of Westminster statement of Licensing Policy and guidance issued by the Secretary of State under Section 182 the Licensing Act 2003.

The sub-committee is also scheduled to review a new premises licence application for The Lady, a restaurant with an ancillary bar at 39-40 Bedford Street. Details of that application will be covered in a separate report.