Concerns were raised about how Dr Dessert’s requested late-night delivery service would impact residents living nearby
A recently-opened West London dessert shop has been given the green light to run a delivery service until 1am on weekends and midnight the rest of the week.
The proposal for Dr Dessert, which began selling crepes, ice cream and more from its site on the Fulham stretch of Wandsworth Bridge Road in June, had drawn some concern, in particular over potential disturbance to residents living nearby.
The premises initially sought permission from Hammersmith and Fulham Council to open until 11pm seven days a week with deliveries until 12.30am Sunday to Thursday and 1.30am Friday to Saturday, but the timings were changed to midnight and 1am respectively.
The applicant, Nedwin Ltd, agreed to eight conditions following correspondence with the council’s noise and nuisance team, including drivers being instructed to only arrive when the order is ready and for staff to actively monitor the outside areas.
A further six were agreed with the Met Police such as stipulating that the premises shall be delivery-only after 11pm.
Seven objections were filed opposing the application, one of which was from the Chair of the Walham Green Panel, Sarah Chambers.
She noted that while the premises is in a neighbouring ward, “the application raises the same issues as seen in many applications around the North End Road which you will be familiar with”.
“The delivery drivers are likely to disturb residents including children in the side streets off Wandsworth Bridge Road and elsewhere as they wend their way through the streets to their destinations as quickly as possible,” she wrote.
“It is also worth noting additional deliveries will increase not just noise pollution but environmental pollution through emissions from the deliveries themselves, increased litter and the packaging materials used.”
The Barclay Road Residents group and five residents also filed objections, one of whom however appears to have withdrawn their representation after the further conditions were agreed.
One of the residents, who said they regularly shop and travel on Wandsworth Bridge Road with their two young children, raised concerns including the impacts of the late-night activity and potential attraction of additional crime.
They wrote: “While the premises will close to customers at 23:00, the proposal simply transfers activity from in-store customers to late-night delivery operations.
“The resulting noise, vehicle movements and rider activity are incompatible with the residential nature of the surrounding area and undermine the licensing objectives, particularly the prevention of public nuisance.”
Henry Blomfield, speaking on behalf of Charlotte Dexter and Barclay Road Neighbourhood Watch, said the council’s own data identifies Wandsworth Bridge Road as one of the borough’s 24 most impacted streets.
“It’s disproportionately affected by nuisance and by anti-social behaviour,” he told councillors at a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting this week.
Ms Chambers said: “Our concerns are that as a result of these extended hours the residents of Fulham, and in particular in the immediate vicinity around the premises, will be subject to increased noise, pollution and litter. This isn’t compatible with the licensing objectives preventing public nuisance and protecting children from harm as demonstrated in my representation.”
Ms Chamber said she had visited the premises and that there are two storeys of residents above Dr Dessert.
She added the conditions are “largely unenforceable”, in particular restricting the types of vehicles delivery drivers can use.
“I think the café itself is a great addition to the street, and the more businesses there are the better,” she said, “but I do think that they should be sticking to their hours of 11pm for closure for off- and on-sale sales, and therefore I would ask on behalf of the Walham Green Ward Panel that the committee please refuse this application.”
Nick Semper, the applicant’s licensing agent, said Dr Dessert primarily deals with cold food and that the impact of the deliveries would be minimal. He added there is “not a shred of evidence” that challenges the way the premises has been run to-date.
Mr Semper said the concerns raised amounted to “fear and speculation”, with none of those living above Dr Dessert filing objections.
On the claim the proposed conditions are unenforceable, he said: “It’s a bit mad really, because the conditions that we’ve agreed are the ones suggested by the police and the noise management team. They’re not our conditions…the conditions that are actually proposed are proposed by your staff and your police officers.”
Committee members agreed to grant the licence though with the earlier hours than originally sought. The premises is to close to the public at 11pm, with delivery service only after that point.
Members also added a further two conditions, including that a responsible member of staff is to organise meetings with residents at least once a year.
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