This application to vary a premises licenceis made by Star Pubs Trading Limited under section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003. 

Licensing Act 2003

Notice of Decision

PREMISES

The Drill Hotel

Brentwood Road

Romford

RM2 5TD

APPLICANT

Star Pubs Trading Limited

Details of requested licensable activities

This application to vary a premises licence is made by Star Pubs Trading Limited under section 34 of the Licensing Act 2003.  The application was received by Havering’s Licensing Authority on 25th September 2025.

Details of the application

The application is to permit the following amendments to the licence:

•           To extend all licensable activities permitted internally to 00:00 Monday to Thursday and 01:00 Friday and Saturday. (NB These hours do not include the shed bar which will continue to operate under the existing permitted hours, i.e. Monday to Thursday 10:00 to 23:00, Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 00:00 and Sunday 12:00 to 22:30.)

•           To permit the licensable activities authorised by this licence to continue on New Year’s Eve until the end of permitted hours on New Year’s Day, i.e. thirty-nine hours from 10:00 on 31st December until 01:00 2nd January.

•           To increase the terminal hours the premises closes to the public following the above changes to Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 00:20 and Friday and Saturday 08:00 to 01:20.

•           To add the following condition to the licence:

Notices will be displayed at all exits reminding customers to leave the area quietly and respecting the needs of local residents.

Summary

There was one representation against this application from a neighbouring business.

There were no representations against this application from residents or responsible authorities.

Determination to vary a premises licence

Introduction

The Sub-Committee heard an application on behalf of Star Pubs Trading Limited (SPTL) who are the Licence Holders for the public house the Drill Hotel.

The Applicant was seeking to extend the opening hours of the Drill from 11:00 p.m. to 12 midnight on Mondays to Thursdays and 1:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Applicant was also seeking an extension of time for the upcoming festive season.

The Sub-Committee heard from three responsible authorities, all of whom opposed the application for an extension of time. The responsible authorities were:

1.         The Licencing Authority

2.         the Metropolitan Police

3.         Environmental Health

All three Responsible Authorities objected to the variation. They were of the view that extending the licencing hours would undermine two of the licencing objectives namely, preventing crime and disorder, and preventing public nuisance.

The Sub-Committee also heard from the Applicant’s representative, Mr Morris and the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Ms Fitzgibbon.

Considerations

In coming to their decision, the Sub-Committee considered all of the following:

1.         Representations from the Responsible Authorities.

2.         Representations from the Applicant and DPS.

3.         The Licencing pack.

4.         The Licensing objectives.

5.         The section 182 guidance.

6.         the London Borough of Havering’s statement of licensing policy (LBH policy).

Having considered all of the above, the subcommittee refused the application on the basis that granting an extension of the opening hours would undermine the licencing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and public nuisance as set out  ...  view the full decision text for item 5.