Hornchurch wine bar’s bid to stay open until 2am sparks council and police objections.
An award-winning wine bar in Hornchurch is hoping to close later on weekends, but has faced pushback from local licensing authorities writes local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann.
Frankie’s Wine Bar is open on Fridays and Saturdays between 6pm and 1am. It is closed Sundays through Thursdays.
The owners have formally applied to Havering Council to close an hour later, and while they have received three letters of support from locals, the council and Metropolitan Police’s licensing teams have objected.
A council officer said that while residents could expect “some disturbance” until 1am, pushing the closing time back an extra hour was “unreasonable”.
The Met has argued that Hornchurch town centre already sees a “notable level of alcohol-related crime, disorder, and anti-social behaviour” late at night and it disagreed with venues closing later.
The council said it had received complaints about the wine bar in the summer of 2024, as well as in April and July this year, but a representative for the applicants said they received none in the past three years.
The applicants described their request as both “modest” and “necessary to sustain the business and safeguard jobs”.
“This is a small award-winning bar with a mature and regular adult clientele, having won the prestigious Muddy Stilettos Best Bar Award in 2024 and developed a good reputation,” they wrote.
In a supporting document, a representative for the venue described Frankie’s as an “established, independent and respected wine bar that opened over 20 years ago”.
The Station Lane venue had proven itself by successfully applying for 15 temporary events notices (TENs), which allowed it to close at 2am for one-night only, and receiving no complaints, he said.
In a bid to prove the later close will have “no adverse impact,” the bar has also proposed operating a comprehensive CCTV system, not allowing new patrons in after midnight, and employing bouncers on the door until 2.30am.
Staff would also keep written records of any refusals and incidents and ban customers for “non-compliance”.
In their letters to the council, patrons described Frankie’s as a “responsible and well-run” establishment with a clientele typically aged over 40.
The venue’s operators will go before the council’s licensing committee – made up of elected councillors – next week.
Frankie’s Wine Bar was contacted for comment.
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