Frankie’s Wine Bar 2am Licence Bid Faces Objections Hornchurch 2026

Key Points

• Late-Night Extension Request: Frankie’s Wine Bar on Station Lane in Hornchurch has formally applied to Havering Council to extend its weekend opening hours from 1:00am to 2:00am on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Objections from Authorities: Both the Metropolitan Police and Havering Council’s licensing teams have formally objected to the proposal, citing concerns regarding late-night noise, alcohol-related crime, and anti-social behaviour in the town centre.
• Support from Patrons: The venue has received three official letters of support from local residents and customers, who describe the establishment as a well-managed venue catering primarily to a mature clientele aged over 40.
• Past Performance and Compromises: The bar’s management highlighted its successful operation under 15 Temporary Event Notices (TENs) with no reported issues, while offering additional security measures including SIA-licensed door staff until 2:30am, a late-entry curfew at midnight, and comprehensive CCTV monitoring.
• Upcoming Decision: The application is scheduled to go before elected members of Havering Council’s licensing committee next week for a final determination.

Hornchurch (East London Times) October 8, 2026 – An award-winning independent wine bar in Hornchurch is facing substantial opposition from local licensing authorities and law enforcement in its bid to extend its weekend opening hours until 2:00am. Frankie’s Wine Bar, situated on Station Lane, currently operates exclusively on Friday and Saturday evenings between 6:00pm and 1:00am, remaining closed from Sunday through Thursday. The business owners have submitted a formal application to Havering Council seeking permission to delay closing time by one hour on weekend nights. While the proposal has attracted written support from members of the local community, official objections raised by Havering Council’s licensing department and the Metropolitan Police Service have placed the venue’s late-night ambitions in serious doubt.

Why are police and licensing officers opposing the extended opening hours?

Local Democracy Reporter Sebastian Mann reported that statutory authorities have expressed clear reservations regarding the potential impact of an extra hour of trading on the surrounding neighbourhood. A Havering Council licensing officer noted that while local residents living near town centre commercial premises could reasonably anticipate a degree of disturbance up until 1:00am, extending the operating hours until 2:00am was considered unreasonable for those residing nearby. Furthermore, representatives from the Metropolitan Police licensing team argued that Hornchurch town centre already experiences a notable volume of alcohol-related crime, public disorder, and anti-social behaviour during late-night hours. On that basis, police representatives stated that they were fundamentally opposed to licensed premises being permitted to trade later into the morning.

What is the dispute surrounding past noise complaints at the premises?

A central point of contention between the applicant and local authorities involves historical complaint records associated with the venue. Havering Council officials stated that the local authority had received complaints regarding the wine bar during the summer of 2024, alongside further reports logged in April and July of 2025. Conversely, a representative acting on behalf of the applicants disputed these claims, asserting that the establishment had received no complaints whatsoever over the past three years of operation.

How are the venue owners justifying the need for a 2am licence?

In submission documents presented to the licensing authority, the owners of Frankie’s Wine Bar described their request for an additional hour of trading as both modest and essential to safeguard the ongoing financial viability of the enterprise and secure existing employment. The owners emphasised that the venue is a small, independent establishment catering to a mature, regular adult clientele. Management highlighted that the wine bar was named the winner of the Muddy Stilettos Best Bar Award in 2024 and has built a positive reputation over its long-standing presence in the area.

In supporting documentation submitted to Havering Council, a representative for the applicant outlined that the venue is an established and respected independent business that has been operating on Station Lane for more than twenty years. The representative noted that the establishment had already demonstrated its capability to operate safely until 2:00am by successfully utilising 15 Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for single-night extensions, none of which resulted in recorded complaints or police intervention.

What additional safety conditions have been proposed by the applicant?

To address potential concerns regarding public order and public nuisance, the management of Frankie’s Wine Bar has proposed a series of self-imposed licence conditions designed to ensure the late close creates no adverse impact on the surrounding locality. These measures include:

• Entry Restrictions: Implementing a strict entry curfew preventing any new patrons from entering the premises after midnight.
• Enhanced Security: Deploying SIA-licensed door supervisors on Friday and Saturday evenings to remain on duty outside the premises until 2:30am.
• Surveillance: Maintaining a fully operational, high-definition CCTV camera system covering internal areas and external entry points.
• Incident Logging: Enforcing a rigorous record-keeping process where staff record all service refusals and security incidents in a dedicated logbook.
• Customer Discipline: Instituting a strict policy of banning any patrons who fail to comply with staff directions or venue standards.

Letters of support submitted by local residents to the council praised the management structure of the wine bar, characterizing Frankie’s as a responsible and well-conducted establishment whose core customer base consists predominantly of individuals over the age of 40.

Background of late-night licensing regulations in Hornchurch

The commercial centre of Hornchurch features a high concentration of licensed bars, public houses, and restaurants, making it one of the primary nighttime economy hubs within the London Borough of Havering. Over recent years, local councils and police forces across Greater London have increasingly scrutinized late-night licensing applications under the Licensing Act 2003, which sets out four core licensing objectives: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm.

When evaluating applications for extended hours, licensing authorities must balance the economic interests of local commercial enterprises against the rights of nearby residents to quiet enjoyment of their properties. In areas where late-night anti-social behaviour or violent crime is recorded at higher-than-average baseline levels, local police units frequently lodge formal representations against applications seeking to extend trading past 1:00am. The mechanism of Temporary Event Notices (TENs) allows venues to temporarily test extended hours for up to 15 events per calendar year, but achieving a permanent variation to a premises licence requires formal approval by a panel of elected local councillors sitting on the council’s licensing sub-committee.

Prediction: How this decision will impact local businesses and residents

The outcome of the upcoming licensing hearing carries significant implications for both commercial operators and local residents in Hornchurch town centre.

If the licensing sub-committee decides to approve the application, Frankie’s Wine Bar will secure additional weekend revenue, helping to buffer the business against rising operational costs in the hospitality sector. Approval could also set a precedent for other mature, adult-focused establishments in Hornchurch seeking modest extensions to their trading hours, potentially encouraging a shift towards higher-end, age-restricted nightlife offerings. However, local residents living nearby may experience an increase in foot traffic, vehicular noise, and low-level disturbance between 1:00am and 2:30am as patrons disperse from Station Lane.

Conversely, if the licensing committee upholds the objections raised by the Metropolitan Police and council officers and refuses the variation, Frankie’s Wine Bar will remain constrained by its current 1:00am weekend closing limit. While this decision would satisfy resident concerns and align with police efforts to curb late-night alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, it could place tighter economic constraints on independent hospitality venues attempting to compete with larger late-night operators. A refusal would signal to local business owners that Havering Council and the police intend to maintain a strict ceiling on operating hours within Hornchurch town centre.