A café next to Millwall FC’s stadium in south east London has been allowed to sell alcohol every day of the week after Lewisham Council approved a new premises licence.
The Millwall Cafe, on Bolina Road by The Den, applied for permission to sell alcohol from 10am to 11pm, Monday to Sunday. Lewisham Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee approved the application after a hearing on Tuesday, October 27.
The licence was granted subject to agreed conditions and three additional match day conditions, with one modification. That means alcohol sales can go ahead throughout the week, but there will be tighter rules when Millwall are playing at home.
Objections focused on match day risks
The application drew objections from Millwall FC, the Metropolitan Police and the licensing authority. Their concerns centred on the café’s location close to the stadium and the possibility of increased anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder.
Objecting for the Met, PC Shaun Rodway said the outside area of the café is already heavily used, with supporters gathering on the footpath and roadway next to the building. He said this can create problems when away coaches need access to the away compound.
PC Rodway said: “Police feel that this behaviour will increase if drinking is allowed 10am to 11pm on match days and would suggest that the sale of alcohol is stopped from 60 minutes before kick-off and for 60 minutes after the game has finished.”
Millwall FC also raised concerns during the process. Ali Hossin Moramazy, the club’s Head of Operations and Safety Officer, said extra alcohol-led gatherings near the ground could increase the risk of disorder and put more pressure on police and club resources.
He also said crowds outside or around the premises could obstruct pedestrian movement on Bolina Road at the busiest points of a match day and make it harder for emergency services to respond. The club further argued that the trading name could lead some people to think the premises is run by or linked to Millwall Football Club, when it is not.
Council approved the licence with extra conditions
During the hearing, the café’s representative, Nira Suresh, argued that the presence of football supporters and existing gatherings should not automatically be treated as proof that the new licence would create extra disorder.
Stuart Parker, the Met’s dedicated football officer at Millwall FC, told the meeting the police concerns were tied to football fixtures rather than ordinary trading during the week. He said: “Our objections are in and around the football matches and on the days of the game.”
After hearing from both sides, councillors adjourned briefly to consider the case in private. The Licensing Sub-Committee then decided to grant the licence.
On home match days, the café must have at least one SIA-registered door supervisor on duty from two hours before kick-off until the match has finished and supporters have dispersed from the area.
The café must also put up a minimum six-foot Heras fence around the outdoor seating area on home match days. The fencing must stay in place until after the match has finished and supporters have dispersed.
A further condition restricts alcohol sales around kick-off and full-time. On home match days, no alcohol can be sold or supplied during the 60 minutes before kick-off or during the 60 minutes after the match has ended.
What the new rules mean on home match days
During the match itself, the designated premises supervisor must carry out a risk assessment to decide whether alcohol sales should be suspended. The premises must also refuse alcohol to anyone known to have been removed from the match.
The decision means the café can trade with alcohol sales every day from 10am to 11pm, but only within the framework set by the council’s conditions. The extra controls are aimed specifically at managing crowds and behaviour on Millwall home match days.
For people using Bolina Road on match days, the practical effect is likely to be increased stewarding and a fenced outdoor area outside the café, alongside the temporary ban on alcohol sales immediately before and after the game.
The case turned on whether the licence could be granted without undermining public safety and crime prevention near The Den. Lewisham councillors ultimately decided it could, provided the additional match day safeguards were in place.
