Supermarket alcohol sales hours have been extended by one hour across all days of the week following a decision by Hackney Council's Licensing Sub Committee E.
The committee met on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, to consider an application from Local Supermarket at 140-142 Kingsland High Street to vary its premises licence. The application sought to extend alcohol sales off the premises from midnight to 1 am from Sunday to Wednesday, and from midnight to 2 am from Thursday to Saturday.
During the hearing, PC Lucy Wardle of the Metropolitan Police objected to the application, citing concerns about increased anti-social behaviour and street drinking in the densely populated area. The police objected on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder and protecting public safety. PC Wardle noted that the requested hours were significantly beyond Hackney Council's adopted core hours policy for off-sales, which generally restricts sales to between 8 am and 11 pm. The stated reasons for this policy are to prevent crime and disorder and protect public safety, particularly in densely populated areas where late-night off-sales have been identified as contributing to increased levels of anti-social behaviour, street drinking, and alcohol-related disorder during late-night and early-morning periods.
PC Wardle also highlighted a recent warning letter for selling counterfeit cigarettes, stating that the police lacked confidence in the premises' ability to operate responsibly with extended hours. Local residents' objections primarily cited concerns about noise, public nuisance, and anti-social behaviour, including loud noise from rear doors, delivery vehicles, persistent fan noise and vibrations, increased littering, street drinking, and potential security risks. One resident provided a lengthy noise diary documenting disturbances from fans and delivery activities occurring outside permitted hours. Another resident detailed concerns about noise from rear door slams, delivery van movements, and persistent fan noise and vibrations, stating that these issues were exacerbated by the removal of an internal stairwell and the use of the fire escape for deliveries. They also noted that deliveries were occurring outside permitted hours and that industrial fans at the rear of the shop created constant noise and vibrations that impacted their ability to concentrate, rest, and sleep.
Channing Riviere, a Principal Licensing Officer for the Licensing Authority, echoed these concerns, highlighting the proximity to residential properties and the cumulative impact of licensed premises in the area. The policy aims to mitigate the cumulative impact of licensed premises in the vicinity, especially given the proximity to residential properties.
After deliberation, the committee decided to grant a compromise of extending the hours by one hour across all days, meaning alcohol can now be sold until 1 am from Sunday to Wednesday and until 2 am from Thursday to Saturday. The applicant's agent, Robert Sutherland, indicated that this compromise would be accepted. The meeting minutes do not explicitly detail the specific criteria the committee used to determine this 'compromise' extension. However, the decision followed discussions where the applicant indicated they would accept a compromise of extending the hours by one hour across all days. This offer was made after the police and licensing authority maintained their objections to the full requested extension due to concerns about increased anti-social behaviour and public nuisance. The committee's decision to grant a one-hour extension appears to be a negotiated outcome aimed at balancing the applicant's request with the concerns raised by responsible authorities and residents.
To mitigate potential negative impacts, the applicant's agent stated that the intention was to employ a registered SIA officer on Friday and Saturday nights and bank holiday Sundays. He also agreed that from 11 pm, only the internal staircase would be used, not the external one, to address noise concerns. The applicant also confirmed that CCTV and incident logbooks were in place. During the discussion, the applicant's agent indicated that if the committee granted the extension and imposed a condition for 'wave training' (welfare and vulnerability engagement training), the applicant would commit to it and ensure staff were aware. The applicant also confirmed they would continue to conduct litter picking at the front of the shop. The current licence already includes conditions such as maintaining a CCTV system, keeping an incident log, prominent signage requesting customers to leave quietly, and not selling beer, lagers, or ciders exceeding 7.5% ABV.
The meeting outlines the procedure for a licensing sub-committee hearing, which involves the licensing officer outlining the report, the applicant presenting their case, responsible authorities presenting their cases, and other persons (local residents) presenting their cases. This is followed by a discussion phase, closing remarks, and final clarification before the committee deliberates and makes a decision. Resident objections play a significant role, as evidenced by the numerous objections received from local residents which were considered by the committee. The meeting shows that when objections are made by responsible authorities or other persons, a hearing is convened to consider these representations.
The decision was communicated to the applicant within five working days of the meeting. The full details of the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack for the Licensing Sub Committee E meeting.