Many will be aware of the very strict licensing policy operating within the City of Westminster. The policy is generally not to allow any extension of hours beyond the Council's Core Hours of 11.30 pm Monday to Thursday and Midnight Friday and Saturday in the West End Stress Area, being Soho and Covent Garden. Whilst the Council do purport to allow extensions, these have been rarely granted in practice, although there has been some limited success on appeal before the Justices. 

Davenport Lyons recently acted for a restaurant called Papageno in Wellington Street, Covent Garden, WC2. The restaurant is popular with tourists visiting the Opera House. There are residential properties nearby and the Police, residents and the Council had concerns regarding any extension being granted beyond the current opening hours of 1.00am.

However, the licensing sub-committee, having heard all the facts, including evidence from the Police that the premises were extremely well run and had not caused any reason for complaint, granted a variation so that the premises could sell alcohol and food until 3.00am to persons taking a table meal. This was accompanied by an additional condition that no more than 150 persons would be accommodated on the premises after 1.00am. 

It is obviously encouraging to see that the Council is considering appropriate exceptions in appropriate cases, particularly where the premises are food led and where there has been nor is there likely to be any significant increase to crime and public nuisance.