Harringay venue stayed open during locked down period, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter Councillors decided to strip a restaurant and shisha lounge of its licence to sell alcohol after hearing evidence it flouted lockdown rules. Haringey Council’s licensing subcommittee decided it was “appropriate and proportionate” to revoke the licence for Rakkas, in Green Lanes, […]By Local Democracy Reporting Service

Rakkas Restuarant in Green Lanes, Harringay (credit Google)

Harringay venue stayed open during locked down period, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

Councillors decided to strip a restaurant and shisha lounge of its licence to sell alcohol after hearing evidence it flouted lockdown rules.

Haringey Council’s licensing subcommittee decided it was “appropriate and proportionate” to revoke the licence for Rakkas, in Green Lanes, Harringay, after a hearing on Tuesday 14th April.

At the licensing meeting, police and council officers presented evidence that the restaurant opened and provided food, alcohol and shisha pipes during a national lockdown designed to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Representatives of licence holder Ali Sukran Ozbek denied breaking lockdown rules, claiming the venue had been offering a takeaway and delivery service in line with the restrictions.

The council confirmed that after the public meeting, the committee decided to revoke the licence.

In a statement, the council said the committee “found the evidence of the responsible authorities to be credible but could not say the same for the evidence put forward on behalf the licence holder”.

It added: “The committee had lost confidence in the licence holder’s ability to comply with and uphold the conditions on his licence.

“Having considered the evidence of the police and other responsible authorities and the conduct of the licence holder, the committee was satisfied that there had been a failure to uphold the licensing objectives, and on this review, in response to the unlawful activities put before it, the committee was satisfied that it was appropriate to revoke the licence.

“The committee only made its decision after considering all the evidence and was satisfied that the licensing objectives were being undermined. The revocation of the licence was an appropriate and proportionate response to the matters that were put before it.”

The committee’s decision is open to appeal to a magistrates’ court within 21 days from the beginning on the day on which the appellant is notified of the decision. Its decision does not take effect until the end of the appeal period or, if an appeal has been lodged, until the appeal is dispensed with.

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