A new evening café in North London is to open and be allowed to sell alcohol despite neighbours being ‘deeply concerned’ about drunks making noise, littering and ‘urinating in their doorway’. Issues with delivery drivers on mopeds were also raised but Brent Council said there was ‘no evidence’ that this would cause problems.
An application to open the café, called D’Broa, at a vacant premises on Chamberlayne Road near Kensal Rise Station was recently submitted to the council. The owner wanted to open from 7am to 11pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 11pm on Sundays, whilst serving alcohol from 10am to 10.30pm everyday.
A stream of residents had lodged formal objections to the plans believing it would lead to a rise in anti-social behaviour in the area. One said: “I am concerned about the noise from the building and outside areas, especially if people are drinking and becoming rowdy.”
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The vacant premises on Chamberlayne Road will become a late-night café after plans were approved by Brent Council(Image: Google Maps)
They added: “The patrons may also linger outside after it has closed late at night causing a disturbance, talking loudly, and possibly making a mess on the street. They could also be using the doorways to our buildings as urinals which would be very unpleasant for us residents.”
Another said: “This side of Kensal is the quieter area, and I do believe it should continue to be a family friendly area, as opposed to an area which encourages drunk customers engaging in anti-social behaviour.”
The Metropolitan Police had said it wouldn’t support the application unless the café agreed to a number of conditions, including installing CCTV cameras to cover all of the entrances and exits of the premises, alcohol to only be sold if it’s accompanying a meal, and notices reminding customers to leave quietly.
However, prior to the application being considered by Brent Council’s alcohol and entertainment licensing sub-committee on Monday, September 11, the applicant agreed to all of the conditions resulting in the police withdrawing their representation.
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The café also agreed to stop selling alcohol at 9pm, close the premises at 9.30pm and limit the number of smokers outside at any one point to three in order to reduce the noise levels. The applicant’s agent, Manuel Rocha, told the committee that this shows they are ‘keen to work with the neighbours and residents’.
He added: “The best customers we will have will probably be our neighbours so there’s no reason for us not to have a good relationship with them.[…] Chamberlayne Road is already a busy road, it’s full of businesses.”
Residents Carroll and Charles spoke out against the plan at the meeting, raising further concerns about the noise, litter, and delivery drivers on mopeds. Carroll said: “We don’t think that stretch of road is suitable for a licensed premises.”
Charles added that he is ‘pleased’ that the opening times have been reduced but emphasised that there ‘is local concern’. He said that residents ‘will be monitoring’ the situation to make sure that the conditions are upheld.
The committee granted the licence as the conditions agreed to will ‘uphold the licensing objectives’ and showed a ‘willingness on the part of the applicant’ to engage with local residents. It added that the delivery strategy was ‘clear and satisfactory’ and there was ‘no evidence’ that it would cause any issues.
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