An off-licence in Acton has been granted a new premises licence by Ealing Council, allowing it to sell alcohol for off-premises consumption. Bajaj Food & Wine, located at 9 Kathleen Avenue, Acton, W3 0NG, received the licence following a hearing by the Licensing Sub-Committee on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
The applicant, Mr. Satpal Singh Bajaj, sought permission to sell alcohol from Monday to Thursday between 08:00 and 23:00, Friday and Saturday from 10:00 to 00:00, and on Sundays from 11:00 to 23:00. The premises will be open from 08:00 to 23:00 from Sunday to Thursday, and 08:00 to 00:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
During the hearing, the committee, chaired by Councillor Praveen Anand and including councillors Anthony Kelly and Sanjai Kohli, heard that no responsible authorities, such as the police or environmental health, had objected to the application. This was seen as a positive indicator of the proposed operating schedule and conditions.
However, one representation was received from a member of the public, Michelle Doyle, who raised concerns about potential increases in antisocial behaviour, noise, littering, and disturbance in the predominantly residential area. Ms. Doyle's specific concerns included the potential for increased loitering, public drinking, noise nuisance, and further antisocial behaviour in close proximity to family homes. She also noted that the existing need for visible security presence at nearby retail premises, such as Sainsbury's on Horn Lane, indicated that the area already experienced issues related to antisocial behaviour, theft, and disorder. She further expressed worry that an additional premises licensed to sell alcohol could exacerbate these problems and place additional pressure on the local community.
In response to these concerns, Mr. Bajaj, through his representative, committed to implementing several measures. These include a Challenge 25
policy, the installation of CCTV with a 31-day recording system, and comprehensive staff training on responsible alcohol retailing. To address public nuisance, please leave quietly
posters will be displayed, staff will be instructed to ask customers to move on if they congregate outside, and the area outside the store will be swept twice daily. Mr. Bajaj also committed to maintaining a clean and tidy premises with a commercial waste bin contractor.
The Challenge 25
policy will be in force, requiring any person looking under the age of 25 to prove their age when attempting to purchase alcohol. Signs to this effect will be displayed at the premises, and 'Challenge 25' posters will be displayed where alcohol is sold. The only acceptable forms of ID will be those with photographic identification, including a passport, photo-card driving license, or a PASS hologram-bearing proof of age card. Comprehensive staff training will cover responsible alcohol retailing. Additionally, a refusal book will be kept at the premises and updated as required, available for inspection by authorized officers. A sign stating 'No proof of age No sale' will be displayed at the point of sale.
Councillor Kelly questioned who would be working at the premises and how they would be trained. Mr. Bajaj confirmed he would hire four to five staff members and would be present at the store regularly, personally training his staff on every single thing
related to upholding the licensing objectives. The comprehensive staff training will include responsible alcohol retailing, the 'Challenge 25' policy, and the use of CCTV equipment. Staff will also be instructed to ask customers to move on if they congregate outside the premises.
The CCTV system will record and store images for 31 days. It must be capable of instantly downloading recorded images onto a readable format (CD or DVD) upon request, to avoid seizing the hard drive and rendering the system inoperative. Staff working at the premises will be trained in the use of the equipment, and a log will be kept to verify this training. At least one trained staff member must be present at all times when the premises is open for licensable activities. The system must record all entrances and exits, as well as the exterior of the premises, capturing images of delivery persons and vehicles, and ideally, vehicle registration numbers. CCTV images must be made available for playback in store to Police or Council Licensing Officers at any time the store is open, and provided to them within 24 hours of request, along with a software player. Notices will be displayed advising that CCTV is in operation.
Despite the objections, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided to grant the premises licence. The committee granted the licence with the understanding that Mr. Bajaj would adhere to the proposed operating schedule and implement the conditions outlined in his operating schedule. These included measures to promote the four licensing objectives, such as a 'Challenge 25' policy, CCTV installation with 31-day recording, comprehensive staff training, 'please leave quietly' posters, staff instructions to manage loitering outside, twice-daily sweeping of the exterior, and the use of a commercial waste bin contractor. Councillor Kelly stated, I have read the objectives. I've seen the objectives, photographs and everything, but I am placing very limited weight on that in relevance to this business.
This indicates that while the objection was acknowledged, the committee, particularly Councillor Kelly, did not find it to be a significant factor in their decision, likely due to the absence of objections from expert bodies (responsible authorities) and the applicant's proposed mitigating measures.
The meeting documents, including the application and reports pack, can be accessed via the Ealing Council website. Public reports pack Wednesday 08-Jul-2026 10.00 Licensing Sub-Committee
