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Please reply to: |
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Contact: |
Lucy Catlyn |
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Service: |
Licensing |
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Direct line: |
01784 444 213 |
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E-mail: |
l.catlyn@spelthorne.gov.uk |
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Our ref: |
GH/LIC |
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Date: |
21 August 2025 |
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SPELTHORNE BOROUGH COUNCIL
Date of Licensing Sub-Committee: 19 August 2025
Applicant: Mr Amandip Singh Goulati
Premises: Premier
7 - 9 High Street
Shepperton
TW17 9AJ
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REASON(S) FOR HEARING:
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Relevant representations received from other parties concerning the promotion of each of the Licensing Objectives. |
Granted subject to modification of conditions
With effect from 19 August 2025
1. The application is for a premises licence at 7 - 9 High Street, SherppertonTW17 9AJ.
2. Three people attended the Sub-Committee hearing to make representations. They are:
· Mr. Amandip Singh Goulati, Applicant;
· Ms Maninder Kaur, representative and agent for the Applicant,
· Acquaintance of the Applicant (name unknown).
3. The Licensing Sub-Committee considered all of the relevant evidence made available to it at the hearing including:
· The Report of the Licensing Authority; and
· Written representations from five other persons (three of which were identical).
4. In considering all of this evidence, the Sub-Committee has taken into account the Licensing Act 2003, and National Guidance under the Licensing Act 2003 and Spelthorne Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy.
5. An application for a Premises Licence at 7 - 9 High Street, Shepperton, TW17 9AJ was received to permit the sale of alcohol seven days a week from 07.00 to 23.00.
6. The public was consulted in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003, and adverts published in line with the Licensing Act 2003. The application was advertised in the Surrey Advertiser on 11 July 2025. Details of the application were published on the Council’s website.
7. The application generated five representations from other parties, three of which were identical. Objections received related to the prevention of crime and disorder, protection of children from harm, public safety, and prevention of public nuisance. No representations were received from any of the responsible authorities.
8. The premises forms part of a parade of shops situated in a primarily residential area of Shepperton. The premises is underneath residential flats in High Street, Shepperton. Opposite and to either side of the premises is a local shopping parade with residential properties above.
9. Spelthorne Council’s Licensing Authority previously liaised with the applicant regarding the imposition of conditions about CCTV and staff training in advance of the hearing.
10. The agreed conditions, agreed between the Licensing Authority and applicant prior to the Sub-Committee hearing, are as follows:
1. The premises will operate an age verification scheme, such as Challenge 25, in relation to the sale of alcohol. Posters shall be clearly displayed at the entrance to the premises as well as at least one location behind the till advising customers that such a scheme is in operation.
2. A till prompt system will be utilised at the premises in respect of alcohol to remind staff of the need to check identification, and alter them to the Challenge 25 policy in place
3. All staff (paid or unpaid) shall be trained in respect of the law relating to the sale of alcohol, acceptable forms of ID, Challenge 25 and the procedure on handling and record refusals. Written records to be kept to document that all staff have had training. All staff to receive refresher training on all of these aspects every six months. Training documentation to be made available to Responsible Authorities on request.
4. Comprehensive Training will be given to staff in relation to the conditions of the Premises Licence and in crime prevention measures. A record of each individuals training will be maintained and be available for inspection at the premises at all times by a Responsible Authority.
5. A refusal log/book shall be kept at the premises detailing all refused sales of alcohol. The refusal log will be a bound book with consecutively numbered pages. The log shall include the date and time of the refused sale and the name of the member of staff who refused the sale. The log shall be available for inspection at the premises by a Responsible Authority. The log is to be signed once a month by the DPS.
6. All staff employed (unpaid and paid) at the premises will have UK right to work status checked, once passed that stage they shall be offered employment. Records of these checks will be kept on the premises for 24 months from the date of the check. These checks to be produced on demand immediately by a Responsible Authority.
7. A notice shall be prominently displayed at the exit requesting customers to respect the needs of local residents and leave the area quietly.
8. An incident register must be kept to record all incidents of disorder. The Designated Premises Supervisor must sign off each entry. The incident register must remain on the premises at all times and records kept for a minimum of one year and must detail the following;
a. Time and date
b. nature of incident
c. name of staff members involved
d. name of any offender (if known)
e. action taken as a result of the incident
f. CAD reference number where police called.
9. CCTV - The premises shall install and maintain a comprehensive CCTV system as per the following minimum requirements.
a. Cameras will be sited to observe the entrance and exit doors.
b. Cameras on the entrances will capture full frame shots of the heads and shoulders
c. Cameras viewing till areas will capture frames not less than 50% of screen.
d. Cameras overlooking floor areas will be wide angled to give an overview of the premises.
e. Will be capable of visually confirming the nature of the crime committed.
f. Provide a linked record of the date, time and place of any image.
g. Provide good quality images -colour during opening times.
h. Operate under existing light levels within and outside the premises.
i. Have the recording device located in a secure area or locked cabinet.
j. Have a monitor to review images and recorded picture quality.
k. Be regularly maintained to ensure continuous quality of image capture retention.
l. Digital images will be kept for 31 days
m. Any officer from a relevant authority will have access to images at any reasonable time when the premises is open and a copy of any CCTV requested will be provided.
n. The equipment will have a suitable export method.
o. A member of staff trained in the use of the CCTV system shall be available at the premise at all times that the premises are open to the public.
11. The following additional conditions were proposed and agreed with the applicant:
a) The premises will not sell alcohol after 22:00 hours on a Sunday. Any alcohol on the shop floor after 22:00 hours on a Sunday must be concealed from customers;
b) Two members of staff will be on the shop floor of the premises between 12:00 – 17:00 on Monday to Friday during term time for Surrey County Council schools.
c) The premises will close at 22:00 hours on Sundays.
12. The applicant’s representative, Ms Kaur, stated that no Responsible Authority had objected to the application. She explained that the applicant had worked in retail for nine years, and operated a shop in Eastbourne without complaint or issue, and had a good track record of running shops. She detailed the training program that the applicant had in place; all staff members working for the premises would attend a training course.
13. Ms Kaur confirmed that all staff would be trained in the use and operation of the CCTV system. She also confirmed that the applicant would enforce the Challenge 25 policy and would put up “keep quiet” notices at the shop, to prevent loitering.
14. Ms Kaur highlighted that there were already a number of established premises on the route to the local school, and stated that when the local school closes, 2 members of staff will be on duty at that time to safeguard children from buying alcohol.
15. Ms Kaur stated that there was commercial demand for the applicant’s business, and that shops were free to provide alcohol off premises where appropriate. Ms Kaur noted that the applicant had a clean track record.
16. The applicant stated that where shoplifting took place he would give security footage of the incident to the police and let them handle it.
17. Ms Kaur noted that staff employed would be trained using a training manual, and refresher training would be logged every six months. She also noted that the applicant would keep an incident book to keep a record of thefts, or other incidents. Details would include a description of what was stolen, description of the culprit, all of which would be reported to the police. CCTV would be kept up to date and passed on to the police.
18. Ms Kaur confirmed that the applicant would close the premises at 10 pm on Sundays, not 11 pm. She also confirmed that the applicant was willing to comply with all conditions.
Representations
19. Written representations were received from five parties raising the following objections to the application under each of the licensing objectives:
Prevention of crime and disorder
· Criminal behaviour on, or directly attributable to, the premises.
· Under age sales
· Anti-social behaviour on, or directly attributable to, the premises.
Prevention of public nuisance
· Noise/light or odour nuisance
· Litter
Public safety
· E.g. overcrowding, fire safety, emergency exits and anything related to the safety of the public within the premises.
Protection of children from harm
· In relation to off-premises sales of alcohol, the most relevant issue under this licensing objective is the prevention of sales of alcohol to under 18s
20. The Sub-Committee has considered the representations made by the applicant and other parties and finds as follows: -
21. The applicant has demonstrated to the Sub-Committee that he has policies in place to promote the licensing objectives on the prevention of crime and disorder and public nuisance including: CCTV inside the premises and a Challenge 25 policy in operation.
22. The Sub-Committee has considered the written representations, in particular comments that there are risks of noise and anti-social behaviour. The Sub-Committee also considered that those making representations fear a further premises selling alcohol would add to these potential problems.
23. The Sub-Committee can only determine this application on its own merits and cannot attach significant weight to speculative information, or the impact that other licensed premises are or may have on the licensing objectives. The Sub-Committee is also mindful that the applicant has minimal ability to intervene positively in such issues if they take place away from the licensed premises. If the operation of other premises in the vicinity are causing problems of crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour, then these should be brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, i.e. Surrey Police and Spelthorne Borough Council’s Licensing team.
24. The Sub-Committee has considered whether there is a very real threat of the fears described in the representations actually occurring. Due to the absence of the representors at the hearing, the Sub-Committee is only able to attach limited weight to the representations, as the their views and evidence could not be tested.
25. Furthermore, the Sub-Committee notes that none of the Responsible Authorities made any representations against the application, nor did Surrey Police corroborate the allegations of antisocial behaviour in the shopping parade or raise an objection under the licensing objective of crime and disorder. The Sub-Committee is not persuaded that there is a real threat of the fears described in the written representation occurring.
26. Consequently, the Sub-Committee does not consider it appropriate and proportionate to apply any additional conditions to address these concerns. In reaching this conclusion, the Sub-Committee has regarded Spelthorne Borough Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy and paragraph 9.39 of the National Guidance which states that “any conditions imposed must be appropriate for the promotion of the licensing objectives.”
27. The Sub-Committee therefore considers on the basis of the evidence that it has heard and the findings of fact that it has made, that there is no need to take further action for the promotion of the licensing objectives at these premises or depart from the Spelthorne Borough Council Statement of Licensing Policy or National Guidance.
28. For the reasons stated above, the Sub-Committee confirms that the application for a premises license be granted subject to the following conditions as agreed with the applicant in advance of the hearing and at the subsequent hearing:
i. The conditions agreed prior to the Sub-Committee hearing by the applicant at Paragraph 10 above are accepted as conditions of the premises licence;
ii. The premises will not sell alcohol after 22:00 hours on a Sunday. If the applicant wishes to vary their opening hours on a Sunday beyond 22:00 hours, then any alcohol on the shop floor after 22:00 hours on a Sunday must be concealed from customers;
iii. Two members of staff will be on the shop floor of the premises between 12:00 – 17:00 on Monday to Friday during term time for Surrey County Council schools.
iv. The premises will close at 22:00 hours on Sundays.
Conclusion
29. That is the decision of the Sub-Committee. A copy of this decision has been provided to all parties concerned within 5 working days of the Sub-Committee hearing.
30. You have the right to appeal against this decision to the Magistrates’ Court within 21 days of receipt of this decision notice.
31. If you decide to appeal, you will need to submit your appeal to Guildford Magistrates Court. You should allow sufficient time for your payment of the relevant appeal fee to be processed. For queries, Guildford Magistrates Court can be contacted on 01483 405 300.
Cllr S.A Dunn - Chairman
Cllr Lee
Cllr Turner
Date of Decision: 19 August 2025
Date of Issue: 21 August 2025