Any person or business can comment on an application for the grant, variation, minor variation or review of a premises licence. A comment is called a ‘representation’.
A representation must contain your full name, address and postcode.
In addition your full representation (either letter or email) will be forwarded to the applicant and your details will be made known to them and be in the public domain.
Existing Public Houses and Clubs
In all cases where local residents are experiencing difficulties with a particular premises, you are advised to bring the problems to the attention of the pub or club and try to reach agreement.
But if this fails, you should:-
- Contact The Council's Environmental Health Department – phone 020 8545 3025 or ehealth@merton.gov.uk
- Keep a diary detailing rowdy behaviour and contact the Police for serious incidents
- Be willing to present your views to The Council's Licensing Committee
New Premises licence applications
Relevant representations may be made by email or post; letters must be signed and both letters and emails must include full name and a contact address.
We must receive a representation before the closing date indicated otherwise it will be rejected.
Please note that email transmissions are not always "instantaneous" but are received and stored on The Council's mail server until the Licensing mailbox is opened by officers. Until then, that email has not been received by the Licensing Section.
Emails sent outside standard working hours, i.e. after the Civic Centre has closed, may not be delivered until the following working day. This could result in last minute representations being deemed as having been submitted out of time and refused.
You are advised to make your representation as soon as possible to ensure that it is received by the Licensing section within the consultation period.
The Act gives no discretion to The Council to consider representations received by the Licensing Section after the closing date has passed.
The Licensing Sub-Committee will consider valid representations when deciding whether to grant or reject an application or demand additional licence conditions.
The relevant representation should relate to one of the four licensing objectives and should not be frivolous, vexatious or repetitious.
Four licensing objectives
If you require further information regarding an application, please contact the licensing section.
- prevention of crime and disorder
- public safety
- prevention of public nuisance
- protection of children from harm
Contact us
Licensing
London Borough of Merton
Merton Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX
Telephone: 020 8545 3969
Email: licensing@merton.gov.uk