Bar loses latest bid for late-night opening after objections from police

Avenue Club 2 in Bowes again saw its application for an extension of opening hours to 4am rejected by councillors, reports Joe Ives, Local Democracy Reporter

Avenue Club 2 in Green Lanes, Bowes Park

Councillors have again refused an application from a “hospitality venue” in Bowes to stay open into the early hours of the morning.

The bid for a variation of the premises licence held by Avenue Club 2 in Green Lanes was refused at a meeting of the Enfield Council’s licensing sub-committee on Wednesday (12th) following concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police.

Announcing the decision, committee chair Penny Heathwood said the local authority “cannot be confident” that the premises could be trusted with extended hours given concerns about alleged breaches of its existing licence.

Avenue Club 2 is currently permitted to open midday to midnight, Sunday to Thursday, and from midnight to 1am on Friday and Saturday. Licence restrictions mean the sale of alcohol should be limited to table service only and should stop half-an-hour before closing time.

A previous bid from the venue to open until 4am was rejected in April last year for similar reasons.

A new application this year again sought to significantly increase trading hours, with a 9am opening time and another request to open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, 3am on Thursdays and 2am Sunday to Wednesday.

The applicant also wished to revise the venue’s layout plan, following the removal of the site’s kitchen. However, this was also denied.

License holder and designated premises supervisor Denis Gjelaj described the Green Lanes establishment as “a managed, music-led hospitality venue providing regulated entertainment within a controlled environment”.

Solicitor Yusif Alhani, the applicant’s legal counsel, described Gjelaj as “one of the more earnest, honest premises licence holders” that he has represented.

He said the application was a genuine attempt to create a lawful and positive operation for the local authority and for customers, who he stressed were generally between 30 to 50 years old and were “responsible” .

Alhani argued that the venue did not attract fights but instead created a space for different local communities to come together and enjoy.

Nevertheless, PC Derek Ewart from the Metropolitan Police told the committee there was “insufficient reassurance” to support the application.

He referred to police concerns about alleged breaches of existing licensing conditions at the venue, such as standing guests being served alcohol.

“The fundamental issue is confidence,” PC Ewart argued.

When announcing the committee’s decision, Cllr Heathwood referred to evidence presented by police and council officers and said: “Nothing has been put before us to show how this venue will cope with the extended hours and promote the licensing objectives.”

The Conservative committee chair added: “We do accept this premises is trying to run a business model that works for the community and for the business and the premises licence holder seems to have good intentions.”

She described Avenue Club 2’s current operation as a table service only venue as “unclear” and said that the council “cannot be confident” that the premises is complying with its existing licence conditions, let alone extended permissions which could have a detrimental impact on the surrounding area.

Speaking after the meeting, Alhani said the applicant would be considering appealing the decision. This would have to be done within 21 days from Wednesday’s meeting.

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