Havering Council revokes licence for The Drink Cellar

Havering Council has revoked the premises licence for The Drink Cellar, located at 59 Chippenham Road, Romford. The decision, made by the Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, followed concerns raised by the Licensing Authority, the Metropolitan Police, and the Home Office Immigration Enforcement.

The review of the licence was initiated due to issues including poor supervision, bad practice, and a lack of due diligence at the premises, which is situated within the Harold Hill Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ). This zone is an area with significant problems related to street drinking and alcohol dependence. The revocation means the premises is no longer licensed to sell alcohol. Mr. Maiden was informed that he would receive written confirmation of the decision within five working days and would have 21 days to appeal from the date of receiving that notice.

Key concerns highlighted included the sale of high-strength alcohol. A council officer witnessed a staff member selling a can of Oranja Boom to an individual, despite being informed that such sales might be unlawful. Within the Harold Hill Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), specific safeguards concerning the sale of high-strength alcohol typically include restrictions such as no more than 5.5 or 6% alcohol by volume, so it eliminates a lot of your high strength around your bones, as an example, the one that was sold there. Additionally, the policy aims to prevent street drinkers from spending their limited funds on single cans by sometimes requiring beers may only be sold on multi-packs, and that's to prevent that, to increase the price to reduce the availability.

During the hearing, it was revealed that the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Mr. Sally Maiden, had effectively stopped operating the business in March 2025, despite the licence remaining in his name. This led to a period of uncertainty regarding the control and operation of the off-licence. Mr. Maiden acknowledged his lack of experience in business sales and admitted to not ensuring a proper transfer of the licence when intending to sell the business, leaving it in his name for an extended period. This resulted in the premises operating without a clearly identified and responsible DPS.

Further complications arose when an application to transfer the premises licence and vary the DPS to Ms. Hashveen Kaur Hakimzadeh was received. Both the police and the Immigration Service submitted objections. The police objected on the grounds that the proposed DPS details did not relate to the intended individual, suggesting a licence by proxy arrangement. The police are permitted to oppose a DPS variation application, which they did. The opposed premises license transfer application will determine whether the license remains with Ms. Hakimzadeh. If the decision is to reject Ms. Hakimzadeh's application to hold this license, it will presumably revert to its previous holder, Mr. Sally Maiden.

The Home Office Immigration Enforcement also raised concerns about the individual observed selling alcohol, noting previous dealings with the proposed DPS who had been issued civil penalties for employing illegal workers. Beyond these penalties, the Home Office's concerns stemmed from the observation of a staff member at The Drink Cellar with a low standard and low command of English who sold alcohol despite being told it might be unlawful. Mr. Raj Handel from the Home Office noted that it's not impossible that the person who Mr. Daley observed on that day was also illegal as well, given the familial link to Ms. Hakimzadeh and her history with illegal workers. This raised the possibility of further crime and disorder being evidenced at the premises.

Despite Mr. Maiden expressing an intention to take full control of the business again, his prolonged absence from active management and lack of due diligence during the intended sale process significantly undermined confidence in his ability to uphold licensing objectives. The licensing objectives undermined by the issues at The Drink Cellar were:

• The prevention of crime and disorder: This was undermined by the sale of high-strength alcohol to an individual without checks, the potential for illegal working, and the general issues of street drinking and alcohol dependence in the Harold Hill Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ).
• Public safety: This was undermined by the lack of proper supervision and training, as evidenced by the sale of alcohol to an individual after being told it might be unlawful, and the potential for untrained staff to sell to children.
• The prevention of public nuisance: This is implicitly linked to the issues of street drinking and anti-social behaviour within the CIZ.
• The protection of children from harm: This was raised as a concern regarding the potential for untrained staff to sell alcohol to minors.

After considering all representations, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided to revoke the premises licence. This decision was based on the cumulative impact of the issues raised, including the undermining of licensing objectives, poor supervision, lack of due diligence, and concerns regarding immigration compliance.

The meeting minutes indicate that Havering Council is investing a significant amount of money in redeveloping the premises within the Harold Hill Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ) to address issues like street drinking and alcohol dependence. While the revocation of The Drink Cellar's licence is a step taken, the specific future steps Havering Council will take beyond redevelopment are not detailed. However, it is noted that should a suitable candidate come forward of a good standing, then obviously we can consider a new application at that stage, implying a process for new, responsible operators to apply for licences in the future.