House of Flavourz licence kept with new conditions after Forest Hill complaints

House of Flavourz, an Afro-Caribbean restaurant on Perry Vale in Forest Hill, will continue operating after Lewisham Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee decided against revoking its licence. The committee instead imposed additional conditions at a meeting on 23 July 2026, following complaints about noise and anti-social behaviour in May.

The restaurant, which opened in January 2026 and trades from Thursday to Sunday between 10:00 and 23:00, faced a licensing review after Lewisham Council’s licensing team received multiple reports within days. On 21 May, residents complained about noise, disorderly conduct, and anti-social behaviour they said originated from the venue. Three days later, officers received further complaints about loud music during an event at the premises.

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Council officers found no direct evidence of nuisance

Lewisham Council’s licensing officers told the committee they had visited the homes of complainants more than ten times but never witnessed nuisance coming from the restaurant. They did not seek to revoke the licence or reduce its hours, instead proposing extra conditions to address concerns.

The restaurant’s manager apologised for two specific incidents during the hearing. The first involved a physical fight between members of a large family booking, which she described as a domestic dispute. She said staff called the police and tried to de-escalate the situation. The second incident, on 24 May, involved a live DJ using a standalone speaker during a day party, which the manager admitted was a lapse in judgement.

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The manager also addressed complaints about illegal parking and cannabis use near the venue. She argued the restaurant could not be held responsible for behaviour in public areas, noting Perry Vale sees heavy foot traffic from the train station, local pubs, and other businesses. She said the restaurant enforces a zero-drugs policy on its premises but cannot control actions outside.

We can’t take sole responsibility for people in the public’s actions. We can only enforce our zero drugs policy in our venue.

House of Flavourz manager, during the Licensing Sub-Committee hearing

Cllr Leni Candan, chair of the Licensing Sub-Committee, clarified that issues like drug use and parking fell outside the committee’s remit. The review attracted 28 letters of support and 21 objections, with the Metropolitan Police also submitting representations.

Residents divided over impact

One resident supporting the review told the committee noise from the restaurant had affected mental health, forcing them to leave their home on multiple occasions. Another said they could hear the noise over their television, regardless of whether windows were open or closed, and described the atmosphere outside as increasingly hostile.

A long-term resident of 30 years opposed the review, arguing many complaints related to wider issues in the area. They said some concerns, including parking, litter, and cannabis use, had been attributed to the restaurant without clear evidence. A local alcohol supplier with 13 years in the area praised the restaurant for bringing new life to the neighbourhood.

New conditions imposed

The Licensing Sub-Committee imposed all conditions suggested by the police, along with three additional measures. These include a written event management plan, a policy to refuse re-entry to customers who leave to smoke cannabis, and a formal dispersal policy for closing time.

Police conditions cover several areas: maintaining an incident log on site, staff training, CCTV coverage, age verification for alcohol sales, measures to prevent public nuisance, door supervision, and rules for on- and off-sales of alcohol. The restaurant must comply with these or risk further action from the council.

What happens next

House of Flavourz must now implement the new conditions. Residents who continue to experience issues can report them to Lewisham Council’s licensing team. The council may review the licence again if further complaints arise or if the restaurant fails to meet the imposed requirements.