Grand Empire Faces Objections to Extended Hours Licence

Plans for the Grand Empire, a multi-room events space, lounge bar, and restaurant on Rushey Green, to extend its licensing hours have met with objections from local authorities and residents. The Licensing Sub Committee A of Lewisham Council met on 23 October 2025, to discuss the application submitted by Empire Lounge Services Ltd.

The Grand Empire, located at 108-110 Rushey Green, directly adjoins residential properties, with the nearest boundary approximately 10 metres from the site, and is situated less than 250 metres from Holbeach Primary School.

The application seeks to extend the hours for live and recorded music, late-night refreshment, and alcohol sales, with the venue hoping to operate until 03:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. Currently, the Grand Empire's licensing hours are:

• Alcohol: 10:00 – 00:00 Monday to Wednesday, 10:00 – 01:00 Thursday, 10:00 – 02:00 Friday and Saturday, 10:00 – 00:00 Sunday
• Provision of Recorded Music: 12:00 – 00:00 Monday to Wednesday, 12:00 – 01:00 Thursday, 12:00 – 02:00 Friday and Saturday, 12:00 – 00:00 Sunday
• Late Night Refreshment: 23:00 – 00:00 Monday to Wednesday, 23:00 – 01:00 Thursday, 23:00 – 02:00 Friday and Saturday, 23:00 – 00:00 Sunday

These hours also include An additional hour on the Sunday of a bank holiday weekend and an additional 2 hours on New Year's Eve. The Grand Empire has been operating under these hours since the original grant date of 13th October 2021. The license was transferred, the name was changed, and the DPS was varied on 17th July 2025. The agent Mr David Dadds suggested the capacity is 900 divided between the three floors.

• Enclosed roof terrace and shisha lounge 200, this will also have a kitchen, bar and music playing.
• 1st floor capacity potentially 300 to 400. Unknown what this area is to be used for. Suggested by the applicant as an event space. There is a fire exit out the back with a metal stair case.
• Ground floor 400 capacity with an event space at the back of the venue and a restaurant / lounge at the front of the venue.

This has raised concerns about potential increases in crime, public nuisance, and risks to public safety.

Objections

Richard Lockett, Safer Communities Senior Officer, representing the Licensing Authority, lodged an objection to the application in its current form. While not opposed to granting a premises licence in principle, Lockett stated:

In principle, the Licensing Authority would not be against the granting of a premises licence for this venue, as it is already licensed for various activities and operated for several years without the need for intervention, review, or evidence of contributing to crime or disorder. As this application proposes additional hours for these activities however, it is my opinion that additional conditions would be required to uphold the licensing objectives, particularly around public nuisance. The plans and conditions submitted by the applicant would not be sufficient to uphold the licensing objectives.

Lockett's representation followed a site visit on 12 September 2025, which highlighted discrepancies between the submitted plans and the venue's current layout. He noted the building comprises five distinct areas, including a main restaurant/bar, a rear yard, a private event space, a storage area, and a second-floor bar with a rooftop space. Lockett requested clarification on the intended use of the first floor and amended plans for the rooftop area.

Councillor James Walsh also submitted an objection, arguing that the application would undermine all four licensing objectives. Walsh cited concerns about crime and disorder, public nuisance, public safety, and the protection of children from harm, given the venue's proximity to residential areas and a primary school.

The police licensing team echoed these concerns, stating that the applicant and their agent seemed unclear on the venue's actual purpose. They highlighted discrepancies in the description and projections for the venue, recommending the licence application be denied. Specific examples include:

• The agent suggested the first floor could be used for crazy golf, while the applicant suggested it could be used as another event space to hire.
• The applicant had signage stating the second floor would be a shisha lounge, but the agent advised against shisha use.

Applicant's Response

Dadds LLP, Licensing Solicitors, representing Empire Lounge Services Limited, argued that the Grand Empire already holds a premises licence and has operated without contributing to crime or disorder. They stated that the application proposes a comprehensive suite of conditions to address potential concerns.

The conditions proposed by Empire Lounge Services Ltd. include:

• The premises shall install and maintain a comprehensive CCTV system.
• A staff member from the premises who is conversant with the operation of the CCTV system shall be on the premises at all times when the premises are open to the public.
• All persons entering the premises shall be captured on an eye level colour CCTV camera.
• The CCTV must cover all areas of the venue that the public have access to.
• The outside area and smoking area must be covered by CCTV that is to the same standards as the internal CCTV system.
• The premises shall prominently display signage at all entrances informing customers.
• A minimum of 2 SIA registered door staff. of which one (1) must be female and are all employed by an Accredited Contractor Scheme (ACS) registered company.
• A register of security personnel employed on the premises shall be maintained in a legible format and made available to police upon reasonable request.
• All staff engaged outside the entrance to the premises, or supervising or controlling queues, shall wear obvious Identification and accreditation and be clearly visible when seen on CCTV camera recordings.
• The license holder/DPS shall ensure that customers standing outside the front do not block or obstruct the public footpath.
• Patrons permitted to temporarily leave and then re-enter the premises (including the smoking area} e.g. to smoke, shall not be permitted to take drinks or open containers of Alcohol with them.
• No customers shall be permitted to leave the premise with any glass containers.
• The smoking area at the rear of the premises shall be kept clear from any debris and no access to the car park/garden for customers.
• Unaccompanied children are only permitted with a parent or guardian.
• An incident log shall be kept at the premises, and made available on request to an authorized officer of the Council or the Police.
• A record book of banned individuals shall be held by the SIA registered door supervisors at the front door and will be made available to Police and Council upon request.
• The premises shall have a written dispersal policy in order to limit the noise disturbances to residents and neighbours.
• The license holder shall provide information for customers with a hackney carriage and/or private carriage contact numbers to assist with egress and getting home safely.
• When required, staff organise taxis to transport customers off the premises and encouraged safe travel home at closing.
• A noise limiter must be fitted and maintained within the premises.
• An appropriately qualified acoustic engineer* must be engaged to carry out an acoustic report for both sound insulation, egress and dispersal with appropriate recommendations as to how statutory nuisance can be mitigated appropriately, within 1 month of the licence being granted.
• Any outside area/ garden/ restaurant to the rear must close at 2200hrs to reduce noise to the residential properties nearby.
• No recorded/ live music in rear outside areas due to noise disturbances to residential properties.
• All smokers must only use the front outside areas after 2200hrs to remove any noise issues for residents.
• A Maximum of 10 persons at any one time will be permitted to be smoking.
• All areas outside that smokers use are to be provided with waste bins suitable for Cigarette debris to collect any ash and cigarette butts, this will include staff monitoring these and ensuring they are regularly emptied and disposed of.
• All restocking and commercial deliveries and activities must be between the hours of 0700hrs-2000hrs to limit the disturbances to the local community.
• Alcohol sold for consumption off the premises must be for delivery only.

Dadds LLP also clarified that off-sales are for delivery only, with age verification at the point of delivery, and that the applicant is aware of the need to comply with planning permissions.

The Public Reports Pack for the meeting included copies of the objections, the applicant's response, and other relevant documents, including the current premises licence and Mr Daddss response to Cllr Walsh.

If the Licensing Sub Committee refuses to grant the application, Empire Lounge Services Ltd. can appeal the decision to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of the date of the decision letter.

The Licensing Sub Committee will now consider the representations and decide whether to grant the application as applied for, grant it with modified conditions, refuse to specify a designated premises supervisor, or refuse to grant the application altogether.

Renovations are underway at the Grand Empire.