A wine bar in Tooting Market is facing scrutiny over noise concerns stemming from its outdoor seating area. The Wandsworth Council Licensing Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, 01 July 2025, to consider a new premises licence application for the Indie Wine Club, located at 16/16a Tooting Market, 21-23 Tooting High Street.
The proposed hours of operation for the Indie Wine Club are 9am to 11.30pm, Sunday through Saturday, for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, and 11pm to midnight for late night refreshment. The premises are open to the public from 8am to 12am.
Indie Wines Ltd, the applicant, is seeking permission to sell alcohol during these hours, and to provide late night refreshment from 11pm to midnight on the same days. The application also includes the sale of alcohol and late night refreshments from the end of licensable hours on New Year's Eve until 2am on New Year's Day.
The application is for a new premises licence to cover an extension into Unit 16. The Indie Wine Club currently holds a valid premises licence for Unit 16A, and if the new application is granted, the existing licence for Unit 16A will be surrendered to the council. The new application seeks to mirror the hours and activities of the current licence for Unit 16A.
During the consultation period, Wandsworth Council received representations from both responsible authorities and a member of the public, according to the Public reports pack. Trading Standards requested conditions relating to the prevention of crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm, including maintaining a record of refusals, appropriate age checks, and staff training. The applicant addressed these concerns by amending the application to include the requested conditions.
However, a representation was received from a member of the public, Brionie Sherriff, regarding concerns about crime, disorder, and public nuisance related to patrons using the outdoor seating area. Sherriff believed the outdoor seating had the potential for anti-social behaviour and noise.
Following this objection, the applicant offered a condition to prevent customers from taking open containers of drinks outside to consume, which would duplicate a condition from the existing licence: All sales of alcohol for consumption off the premises shall be in sealed containers only and shall not be consumed on the premises
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It was noted in the Public reports pack that Brionie Sherriff had not confirmed whether this satisfied their concerns, so the matter was scheduled to be decided at the hearing.
The Licensing Sub-Committee had the option to grant the application as requested, modify the conditions of the licence, or reject the whole or part of the application. Any modifications or rejection had to be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives, including the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.