Portsmouth blocks event permits at restaurant amid license suspension
A Portsmouth restaurant has been refused temporary event permits after its premises licence was suspended over an illegal worker – leading to its temporary closure.
A recent Portsmouth City Council licensing sub-committee met to determine whether temporary events should be prevented at La Casa Flamenca in Port Solent.
Temporary Event Notices (TENs) are permits that allow one-off events involving licensable activities, such as the sale of alcohol.
The Spanish tapas restaurant submitted applications for three TENs covering 2–7 December, 9–14 December and 16–17 December, each running until 11.30pm.
However, it was reported in October that the restaurant’s premises licence had been suspended between 20 November and 17 December after the Home Office found an illegal worker on site.
Hampshire Police argued that granting the TENs would undermine that suspension by permitting trade during the restricted period, and would compromise the licensing objective of preventing crime and disorder.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Paul Thornton said the operators “have no issue” with the review decision, adding that they felt they had been treated “very fairly”.
He stated that the restaurant had already been closed for eleven days at the time of writing and that, without approval of the TENs, it would remain closed for a total of fourteen days over the festive period.
He disputed the police’s contention that the “mere fact these TENs have been submitted” sought to “undermine the licensing objectives”.
“The restaurant is well managed and well run and has been proven over time that it does not pose a threat to the good order of your city or the licensing objectives.”
In response, a police spokesperson said: “It is believed that the premises are using the TEN process to bypass the suspension and continue trading as normal”.
They added that the previous decision did not mandate full closure, as the venue could still operate as a restaurant, selling food and possibly allowing customers to bring their own alcohol.
Announcing the sub-committee’s ruling, the chair, Councillor Stuart Brown, said: “The TEN would essentially allow the premises the trade in a business as usual fashion for a significant part of the suspension period.
“The premises could continue to trade, just without the benefit of having a premise licence.
“The sub-committee came to the conclusion that it had to attach significant weight to the previous decision – that decision was made to uphold the licensing objectives and undermining it would undermine the licensing objectives on the prevention of crime and disorder.”