Stop anti-social behaviour (ASB) due to alcohol in Hanwell Town Centre

Ealing Council is currently undertaking a review of their Licensing Policy. This policy guides them in decision-making around whether or not to grant licences for the sale of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment and late drinking. They are governed by law, but there are opportunities under the law where the Council can address specific local issues associated with licensing.

Importantly, the policy must demonstrate that the council is promoting the following objectives when carrying out its licensing functions:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• The promotion of public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

Antisocial Behaviour associated with Alcohol and street drinking are problems frequently reported in relation to Hanwell’s Town Centre, our residential roads, our parks and open spaces, and other well-known hot spots. For example this has been a priority set by both our Elthorne Safer Neighbourhood Team Panel for most quarters over the last few years.

Whilst this is a multifaceted issue requiring a collaborative, strategic solution from the Council, the Police and the appointed agencies tasked with supporting the homeless and those with alcohol and drug addictions, the inappropriate sale of alcohol to people, outside the terms of the retailers’ alcohol sales licences, by a handful of rogue traders is a contributing factor to alcohol-linked antisocial behaviour in Hanwell.

Traders must not sell alcohol:
• to people who are already under its influence
• to people who are under age
• outside the hours designated under the terms of their licence
• which is counterfeit/from a disreputable source as this is unregulated and can seriously damage health

Cumulative Impact:
The Council can designate, in its Licensing Policy, a recognised ‘Cumulative Impact Area’. The Government Guidance defines ‘cumulative impact’ as “the potential impact on the promotion of the licensing objectives of a significant number of licensed premises concentrated in one area. This is considered to be a proper matter for a Licensing Authority to consider in developing its licensing policy statement.”

Hanwell Town Centre hosts a hostel for people with alcohol and drug related dependency. Hanwell Town Centre has a considerable concentration of outlets selling alcohol (well in excess of 25), on the stretch of the Uxbridge Road between Hanwell Bridge and the Church Road junction and on Boston Road between its junctions with Lower Boston Road and the Uxbridge Road.

Please note, that in their draft Licensing Policy currently in consultation (for implementation in January 2015), the Council has adopted a special, tougher, policy relating to cumulative impact in Ealing Town Centre, Acton Town Centre and Southall Town Centre. Hanwell Town Centre is not included in this tougher policy, even though we are recognised as having an issue with antisocial behaviour associated with alcohol which has a negative impact on the local community.

We would like the stronger policy for Cumulative Impact Areas implemented in Hanwell.

The Nest/The Best Off-Licence, 106-108 Uxbridge Road, Hanwell, London W7 3SU
This off-licence is one of the worst transgressors of the terms of their alcohol sales licence in Hanwell. The police and Council have been working together to identify those traders which sell alcohol to people who are already drunk; to underage young people; before and after their licensed trading hours; and also counterfeit alcohol. The Nest/The Best falls into this category for one or more of these transgressions.

A Licensing Panel Hearing has been set up to review their licence formally, on Wednesday 5 November (Committee Room 2; Ealing Town Hall; 10.30am).
We believe that we already have too many licensed sellers of alcohol in Hanwell Town Centre, and that those traders that knowingly and persistently trade outside of the terms of their alcohol sales licences should have their licences revoked.