A new pétanque venue, Circle 13, is seeking a licence to operate in Hackney, but faces objections from residents concerned about potential noise disturbances.
The venue, located at 369-370 Helmsley Place, aims to be a community-focused establishment centred around pétanque, food, and hospitality, with alcohol sales being ancillary to the main offering. The application seeks permission for films, live and recorded music, and the sale of alcohol from 8am to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, extending to 1am on Thursdays and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Late-night refreshment was also requested until 2am on weekdays and weekends.
Representations were received from the Environmental Health Authority and the Police Authority, both of whom have since withdrawn their initial concerns following the agreement of a set of conditions. However, 11 local residents have submitted objections, primarily concerning public nuisance from noise, particularly from the outdoor courtyard and late-night dispersal.
Residents have expressed worries about noise from outdoor activities, music, and patrons congregating outside, especially given the venue's proximity to residential buildings. Historical issues related to previous occupants of the site and noise mitigation have also been raised.
The applicant's representative, Alex Tomlinson, presented a noise report and detailed operational plans, emphasizing the venue's community focus and proactive engagement with authorities and residents. The applicant has agreed to a comprehensive set of conditions, including CCTV, Challenge 25 policies, staff training, incident recording, dispersal arrangements, management of the external area, a noise limiter, and restrictions on external use, window closures, deliveries, and waste collection.
Capacity and Staffing
The maximum capacity of the Circle 13 venue is stated as 200 people. To manage this, the operational management plan aims for professional management with robust controls to minimize sound. The proposed staffing level on any operational night includes the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), the applicant's representative (Mr. Kiriakou, acting as day-to-day manager), a sound engineer, two security personnel (increasing to three if over 150 people are present), and potentially a third security person, plus a warden. This amounts to between six to eight people running the venue on any given night. For peak hours and late-night operations, specific conditions state that if over 150 people are present, there will be three security staff and one warden overseeing areas like the smoking area. All door supervisors are required to log their full details in the premises daily register at the commencement of their work.
Noise Mitigation and Dispersal
Concerns about noise, particularly from the outdoor courtyard and late-night dispersal, are central to residents' objections. To address noise from music, conditions state that noise limiters will be used on music systems, and doors and windows will remain closed during regulated entertainment. A noise report commissioned by the applicant suggests no noise breakthrough from the premises during operating hours and no noise nuisance from the external area until 11 pm. The noise limiter will be set at a level determined by and to the satisfaction of an authorised Environmental Health Officer to prevent nuisance to local residents. For late-night dispersal, the applicant's representative mentioned 'staggered dispersal' and 'taxi management' as measures to minimize noise. The agreed conditions include a 'documented dispersal policy' to encourage orderly departure and maintain links with taxi operators.
During the licensing sub-committee hearing on Thursday, 30 July 2026, councillors engaged in a detailed discussion regarding the proposed hours, management structure, security arrangements, and the specific concerns raised by residents about noise and dispersal. Questions were also raised about the venue's capacity and the frequency of corporate events. Further details on the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack.
