Hackney Council's Licensing Sub-Committee E convened on Monday, August 3, 2026, to consider an application for a new premises licence for Community Sauna CIC at 80 Eastway, London E9 5JH. The historic 1930s public bath house in Hackney Wick, leased from Hackney Council, is intended to become a vibrant community hub offering a bar, cafe, events spaces, saunas, and affordable studios for artists and local businesses. The application for regulated entertainment and the supply of alcohol is considered paramount to the economic viability of the building and its operation.
The committee was set to review the application, for which the applicant had proposed a number of conditions derived from their operating schedule. These include measures for noise control, such as keeping external noise to a minimum and closing external doors after 22:00 when regulated entertainment is taking place. The outdoor area is to cease use at 22:00, with tables and chairs rendered unusable. A designated smoking area in the garden at the rear is permitted, with a maximum of 20 people allowed after 22:00, and no smokers permitted at the front of the building.
Community Sauna CIC also proposed a resident liaison policy, including displaying a contact number or email for the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) for complaints and holding liaison meetings with local residents every four months. A written Dispersal Policy, approved by the Licensing Authority and Police, is also to be submitted.
Conditions for CCTV include installing and maintaining a comprehensive system meeting Metropolitan Police Crime Prevention Officer requirements, covering all public areas and entry/exit points. Recordings must be continuous while the premises are open, stored for a minimum of 31 days, and made available immediately to the Police or authorised officers. A staff member conversant with the CCTV system must be present when the premises are open.
Staff training is a key condition, with all staff engaged in the sale of alcohol required to be fully trained on legal requirements, including underage sales, on a 12-monthly basis. This training will include WAVE (Welfare And Vulnerability Engagement) training, and records must be maintained. A Challenge 25 proof of age scheme will be operated, accepting only recognised photographic identification.
The applicant also proposed a zero-tolerance policy to drugs, complying with Hackney Police Drugs and Weapons policy. Patrons will not be permitted to take glass drinks or open containers off the premises and into external areas. The maximum number of persons permitted on the premises at any one time is set at 350.
An incident log will be maintained to record all crimes reported, ejections, complaints, refusals of alcohol sales, visits by authorities/emergency services, and CCTV faults. All instances of crime and disorder must be reported to an agreed police contact point. Films will be shown in line with age certifications, and all children must be accompanied by a responsible adult, with an assessment of each event's appropriateness for children to be carried out.
While representations were anticipated from Environmental Health, the Police, and the Fire Authority, the provided information indicates that the Environmental Health Authority withdrew their representations following agreed conditions. The Police Authority and the Fire Authority confirmed they had no representation to this application. One representation was received from local residents on the grounds of Public Safety and the Prevention of Public Nuisance.
The officer's report detailed agreed conditions covering noise control, waste management, CCTV, staff training, and resident liaison, largely derived from the applicant's operating schedule and suggestions from the Environmental Health Authority. These include ensuring no nuisance from noise or vibration, playing music at a level that does not cause nuisance, and requiring an acoustic consultant's report and a sound limiting device. Waste management conditions cover no waste collection between 22:00 and 07:00, ensuring no cooking smells cause nuisance, staff training on waste disposal, appropriate waste contracts, regular checks of the area outside the premises, providing a safe receptacle for cigarette ends, and displaying trade waste agreements.
The meeting agenda also included procedural items such as the election of a Chair and the minutes of previous meetings. However, no decisions were made or recorded for these items as the meeting status was 'SCHEDULED_ONLY', meaning the final decision of the Licensing Sub-Committee E regarding the application for Community Sauna CIC was not stated in the provided information.
