Wandsworth Council's Licensing Sub-Committee has approved a new premises licence for Roha Park Cafe in Windmill Gardens, but with significantly reduced hours and stricter conditions than initially proposed.
The committee, meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, considered an application from Roha Park Cafe Restaurant Limited to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises and provide regulated entertainment in the form of recorded music. The application had attracted six representations from local residents concerned about public nuisance, crime and disorder, and the protection of children from harm.
Concerns raised by residents included the cumulative impact of increased activity in a residential area, litter, public disorder, and children being exposed to the sale of alcohol. Dr. Amelia Hughes and Mr. Peter Farrow, among others, voiced worries about the application representing planning by stealth,
potentially transforming a cafe intended for families into a late-night venue. Roha Park Cafe has an indoor capacity of 20 to 30 covers, with an additional 10 to 15 covers planned for outdoor seating. The potential for public nuisance was a concern raised by residents due to the proximity to a children's playground and residential properties, particularly regarding noise and disorder.
Following consultation, the Metropolitan Police and Trading Standards withdrew their initial concerns after the applicant amended their operating schedule. These amendments included the implementation of an incident log, a CCTV system, a refusals log, and appropriate staff training for alcohol sales. Trading Standards also requested and incorporated conditions regarding age verification for alcohol sales.
Staff at Roha Park Cafe will receive appropriate training
regarding the sale of alcohol, including age verification and refusing service when appropriate. They will also receive mandatory training
in this regard, with refresher training carried out at least every three months.
However, the sub-committee decided to grant the licence with modifications to the proposed hours. The original proposed hours for alcohol sales were 10 am to 11 pm Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 10 pm on Sundays. Recorded music was proposed until 11 pm Monday to Saturday and 10:30 pm on Sundays. The Licensing Sub-Committee ultimately amended these hours.
Alcohol sales will now be permitted from 10 am to 10:30 pm Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 9:30 pm on Sundays. Recorded music hours were similarly adjusted to 10 am to 10:30 pm Monday to Saturday, and 11 am to 9:30 pm on Sundays. The rationale for the difference between weekdays and Sundays is not explicitly stated, but the Sunday hours were reduced compared to the original proposal and the weekday hours.
Additional conditions imposed by the committee include that all drinks in external seating areas must be served in toughened glass or polycarbonate containers, and no glass bottles will be permitted in these areas. A condition was also added requiring a contact number to be publicly displayed for noise and nuisance complaints.
The sub-committee noted that planning issues were outside their remit and that their decision was based on the four licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. Further details of the application and the committee's decision can be found in the Public reports pack.
