Wandsworth Council has approved a new premises licence for the embattled Sweet Tooth Café — but slashed the requested hours, imposed more than a dozen new conditions, and capped closing time at 10:30pm, signalling deep reservations over the business’s impact on its neighbours.
In a decision [pdf] published early Wednesday morning, two weeks after a fiery public hearing, the council’s licensing sub-committee rejected owner Maja Dragovich’s bid to serve alcohol until 1am on weekends and instead restricted alcohol and hot food sales to 8pm Sunday to Thursday and 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays — well below the 11pm standard of other nearby venues, including the Arab Boy pub two doors down.
While technically a win for the café, the ruling represents a significant retreat from what was originally sought — and a partial victory for local residents who had warned of “a nightclub in disguise” beneath their homes.
The committee’s reasoning makes plain its scepticism.
“The premises has been the subject of noise complaints and an unlicensed trading incident in recent months,” it states, concluding that the new conditions were “essential in order to uphold the four licensing objectives,” and that without them, “the only other alternative would have been to refuse the application in its entirety.”
Councillors not convinced
The committee’s decision (25-246), lists 18 additional requirements beyond the café’s original proposal — covering everything from soundproofing and floor plans to window closures and smoking limits. Among them:
- All doors and windows must be shut from 8:30pm
- A soundproof curtain must be in place by 7pm each evening
- A noise limiter must be installed and signed off by the Council’s Noise Team
- Outside seating must close at 10pm, with no more than five people smoking after that time
- Alcohol can only be served to seated customers via table service, and vertical drinking is banned
A professional noise assessment must also be completed before any late operation can begin, and a revised floor plan — prompted by discrepancies revealed at the hearing — must be submitted within seven days.
Council officers appear to have been swayed by the environmental health evidence, which found noise from the café had already caused a statutory nuisance. The panel also took into account a series of resident testimonies, including one from an 87-year-old woman who said she was “shooed away” when she crossed the road to complain about late-night music.
Despite a late petition in support of the venue, the committee concluded that “a demonstrable negative impact to local residents” had been established, particularly due to poor sound insulation and past behaviour.
Anonymous letter fuels post-hearing unease
The delayed decision follows a fortnight of silence after the 8 July hearing — and a troubling postscript. As reported by Putney.news this week, residents of Ormonde Court, the red-brick block opposite the café, received an anonymous letter titled “Noise and Non Disturbance Warning”.
The letter praised café owner Dragovich and insisted those with noise complaints should “move to Surrey”. It also included operational details — like the installation of a soundproof curtain — not publicly disclosed at the time, suggesting insider knowledge. The letter has sparked concern among neighbours and echoes complaints made during the hearing about being dismissed or threatened for raising concerns.
Background to the battle
The controversy around Sweet Tooth Café has simmered for months. In early July, we reported on the council’s environmental health team catching the café operating unlicensed at 1am. Officers said even modest crowd noise became intrusive due to “very poor sound insulation” between the premises and the flats above.
At the 8 July hearing, solicitor for the applicant attempted to downplay the objections, arguing that residents knew what they were moving into and offering a list of conditions he said would prevent any issues — including banning “vertical drinking”, limiting smokers, and promising staff would escort customers to taxis. But his performance was met with disbelief as one claim after another — including a flawed floorplan — was picked apart by residents.
What happens now?
The new licence is now in force — but Sweet Tooth Café will have to meet all its new obligations before extending hours or selling alcohol. Failure to comply could trigger a formal review or enforcement action.
For now, the council appears to have opted for containment, not closure — granting the business a pathway to operate but with a curfew and clear warning: residents’ sleep comes first.
