Key Points
- Application Rejection: The decision by the Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee is that of rejecting the alcohol licence application on 114 Uxbridge Road, which used to be a beauty salon.
- Applicant Information: The applicant was Delprit Singh Arora, who sought trading and serving of alcoholic beverages between the hours of 08:00 and 23:00 every day.
- Extensive Local Protest: The application was met with 93 objections, supported by 84 people in the community and the Caxton Village Tenants and Residents Association (CVTRA).
- Police and Authority Objections: PC Charlotte Bennett, PC Samuel Locking, community safety officer Carol Fregiste-Thomas and licensing manager Adrian Overton from the Metropolitan Police objected against the application due to massive problems relating to drinking, substance abuse, and anti-social behavior in Shepherd’s Bush Green.
Shepherd’s Bush (West London Times) October 30, 2026 – Residents in uk/local/fulham/hammersmith/">hammersmith-and-fulham/shepherds-bush/">Shepherd’s Bush have breathed a sigh of relief after Hammersmith and Fulham Council unanimously rejected a controversial bid to open a new alcohol-licensed off-licence at 114 Uxbridge Road. The proposed venue, situated on a busy corner opposite a pedestrian crossing leading directly to Shepherd’s Bush Green, faced fierce opposition from local residents, community associations, and multiple responsible authorities due to fears it would severely exacerbate existing street drinking and anti-social behaviour crises in the area.
Why Did the Licensing Committee Reject the New Off-Licence Proposal in Shepherd’s Bush?
The application, submitted by Delprit Singh Arora, originally sought permission to sell alcohol from 8:00 AM until 11:00 PM every day of the week at what was formerly a beauty salon. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, the proposal triggered immediate alarm in a ward that already registers some of the highest crime levels across the entire borough.
During the consultation phase, local opposition surged, culminating in 93 formal objections. According to documents and testimonies presented to the council’s Licensing Sub-Committee, all attending responsible authorities maintained their objections throughout the proceedings.
Metropolitan Police licensing officer PC Charlotte Bennett formally objected to the submission. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, PC Bennett wrote that approving the application
“would result in a further premises selling alcohol within an area that is already experiencing significant issues associated with alcohol consumption, street drinking and anti-social behaviour.”
Furthermore, she characterized street drinking in the neighborhood as a “persistent and highly visible problem.”
This sentiment was strongly reinforced by local ward officer PC Samuel Locking. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, PC Locking wrote in his objection:
“From a moral perspective we have a duty to safeguard vulnerable persons and individuals suffering from alcohol addiction fall into this category. Providing another venue as to where they can get their alcohol is not responsible. I see firsthand the devastating impact of addiction as it ruins all aspects of people’s lives.”
What Did Local Residents and Community Groups Say About the Proposed Venue?
The local community mobilized rapidly against the storefront, submitting over 80 individual representations alongside a comprehensive objection filed on behalf of the Caxton Village Tenants and Residents Association (CVTRA) and supported by 84 local residents.
Objectors emphasized that the local streetscape is already deeply saturated with establishments selling alcohol. Catherine Tomaselli, a local resident who attended the hearing, detailed the distressing reality faced by people living nearby. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, Ms Tomaselli stated:
“We are constantly ushering people off of the front of our houses, from our basements, and it’s quite scary, so overall as fellow members have said there are so many outlets selling alcohol. The fact the borough is even considering another outlet in such close proximity to all the other ones just adds to the behaviour. It’s very worrying.”
Another anonymous local representation included in the CVTRA submission highlighted personal safety concerns. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, the resident wrote they were “increasingly concerned” about navigating the neighborhood with their child because
“the combination of people drinking and congregating, antisocial behaviour, drug-related activity and general disorder means that I often do not feel comfortable walking through the area, particularly at certain times of day.”
Lucy Goodman, representing the CVTRA, elaborated on the broader community impact during the sub-committee meeting. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, Ms Goodman told members:
“We are not simply talking about occasional noise or litter or people gathering in the street. We are talking about behaviour that can fundamentally affect how people live, how they use their neighbourhood and whether they feel safe entering or leaving their homes.”
Additionally, Ms Goodman pointed out that the exact location of 114 Uxbridge Road—directly opposite a pedestrian crossing—makes it a uniquely problematic gateway to Shepherd’s Bush Green where street drinkers congregate, noting that
“it will end up being the premises that is closer than any other to the access to the green, to where they are drinking.”
Carol Fregiste-Thomas, Community Safety Officer (North) for Hammersmith and Fulham Council, echoed these geographic concerns. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, Ms Fregiste-Thomas stated:
“This premises has never been an off-licence before. It will be a totally new kind of entity in this area. It will attract people coming there and most of them would go along Caxton Road to either drink their alcohol after they’ve bought it from the premises or remain in the area to drink.”
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How Did the Applicant Attempt to Address the Concerns?
Appearing on behalf of the applicant, agent Surendra Panchal attempted to mitigate the committee’s concerns by modifying the operational proposal. As reported by Ben Lynch of My London, Mr Panchal proposed reducing the requested trading hours, moving the terminal hour from 11:00 PM down to 9:00 PM, which he described as a substantial compromise. He also noted that other neighboring businesses operate and sell alcohol until much later at night, and suggested that safety mitigations—such as displaying CCTV notices—would be put in place.
However, council officials and authorities remained unconvinced. Adrian Overton, Licensing Team Manager at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, countered that even with the reduced trading hours, the surrounding neighborhood remains fundamentally saturated with off-licences. Police representatives similarly emphasized that the core issue was not restricted to late-night trading, as alcohol sales throughout daytime hours would continue to fuel existing street drinking patterns.
Although Mr Panchal acknowledged during the hearing that the location presented a “challenging” environment, the Licensing Sub-Committee ultimately rejected the application outright.
Background of the Development
The decision to refuse the off-licence application at 114 Uxbridge Road reflects increasing municipal and community resistance toward the proliferation of alcohol-retail outlets in densely populated urban centers across London. Shepherd’s Bush Green has historically experienced acute socio-economic pressures, high footfall, and concentrated public health challenges, including chronic alcohol dependency and street drinking. Over recent years, local authorities and residents’ associations like the CVTRA have increasingly utilized licensing frameworks to push back against new alcohol-led businesses, framing local licensing control as an essential tool for community safety, public health protection, and urban regeneration.
This regulatory decision provides a vital precedent for residents and community groups across Shepherd’s Bush and the wider London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. For local residents, families, and vulnerable individuals residing near busy thoroughfares, the refusal signals that local authorities are willing to prioritize public safety, street livability, and addiction prevention over commercial expansion in saturated zones. For prospective business owners and commercial applicants, this development serves as a clear warning that future licensing applications in high-crime or alcohol-burdened wards will face rigorous scrutiny, high evidentiary hurdles, and coordinated resistance from statutory authorities and local communities alike.
